So you want to know how to buy an optometry practice?
Ready to swap your associate badge for the owner’s key?
Congrats, future boss! But let’s get one thing straight:
Buying a practice isn’t just about negotiating a price. It’s about buying cashflow, relationships, and GROWTH potential. And if you do it right, you can build a business that pays you every single month—on autopilot.
You just need the right blueprint, the right mindset, and the right tools.
The Old Way vs. The Smart Way
Old-school: Find a listing, overpay, scramble to understand the numbers, and hope the previous doc left some goodwill behind.
Smart way: Do the homework, understand real value drivers (hello, recurring revenue), and walk in with a plan to explode MRR, ARR, and per-patient revenue.
STORY: How Dr. Bold Bought a Practice and Turned It Into a Profit Machine
Meet Dr. Bold—a real OD, not just a legend in the break room.
He found a 2-exam-room practice with “decent” numbers but an aging patient base. Instead of running for the hills, he saw an opportunity. Within 18 months, he 4x’d the monthly revenue, hired a second OD, and built a waiting list. His secret? He launched a membership program using BoomCloud™ on day one—and changed his life (and bank account) forever.
Buy the Practice AND the Cashflow
Don’t just buy charts and dusty frames. You want to acquire:
-
Recurring revenue (think: memberships)
-
Loyal patients (not one-and-done coupon chasers)
-
A team you actually want to keep
-
Systems and processes you can scale
Hot stat:
Practices with 200+ membership patients see 2x-4x the annual spend per member vs. non-members, and get a 30-60% ARR boost within 12 months (BoomCloud™ data).
How to Buy an Optometry Practice: The (Fun, Real) 10-Step Roadmap
1. Get Your Financial House in Order
-
Check your credit, line up lending options (local banks, OD-specific lenders, even the seller).
-
Pro tip: Lenders LOVE recurring revenue. A practice with MRR from memberships is easier to finance (and gets better terms).
2. Know What You Want (And Don’t Want)
-
Location, patient demographics, revenue mix, size, existing tech, growth potential.
-
Non-negotiables: A practice that “gets” recurring revenue, or is ready for it.
3. Build Your A-Team ♀️♂️
-
OD attorney, CPA, practice broker, and maybe a mentor who’s done it before.
-
You need advisors who speak optometry and know the traps.
4. Find the Right Opportunity
-
Use OD brokers, industry contacts, word-of-mouth, online listings.
-
Look for under-marketed practices with loyal patients, solid reviews, and room for improvement (membership programs, digital presence).
5. Analyze the Numbers Like a Pro
-
Dig deep into:
-
MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
-
ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)
-
Per-patient value
-
Revenue streams: exams, optical, contact lens, medical billing, memberships
-
Staff cost, lease, supply chain
-
-
Red flag: Heavy discounting, no retention systems, or major revenue tied to one contract.
6. Secret Sauce: Membership = Multiplier
Why do practices with memberships sell for more?
-
Predictable revenue: Buyers (and banks) love it.
-
High patient retention: Members stick around 2-3x longer.
-
Easy upsells: Members spend 2x-4x more per year.
Set up or inherit a program like BoomCloud™ ASAP!
7. Due Diligence (Don’t Skip!)
-
Audit all financials, compliance, credentialing, vendor agreements, staff contracts, patient recalls.
-
Look for opportunities to add or improve: recurring services, technology, marketing.
8. Make the Offer
-
Negotiate based on true earnings (SDE, EBITDA, etc.), and factor in future MRR potential.
-
Include a transition/training period.
9. Closing Time: Legal, Lenders, and Logistics
-
Get the docs signed, funds wired, and keys handed over.
10. Day 1 Game Plan: Memberships, Marketing, and Massive Value
-
Announce your arrival, thank patients, and roll out new value (membership plans, upgraded services, digital conveniences).
-
Train staff to promote and manage your membership program.
The Real Secret to Winning as an Owner
Most ODs focus on what they’re buying: patient charts, a few old computers, and maybe a wall of untrendy frames.
The ones who win focus on what they can build—starting with recurring revenue and loyalty.
-
Membership patients spend more, visit more, refer more, and make your business way more valuable.
-
MRR means no more panicking at the start of each month.
-
ARR lets you plan for upgrades, staff bonuses, and vacations that don’t require a GoFundMe.
Case Study: Dr. Bold + BoomCloud™
The Challenge:
Bought a tired practice with unpredictable cash flow and low recall.
The Move:
Launched a “VisionCare VIP” plan: $25/mo, covers exam, discounted lenses, special member-only deals.
Promoted to every patient—old and new. BoomCloud™ handled billing, reminders, and renewals.
The Result (18 months):
-
360 members paying monthly
-
MRR: $9,000+
-
ARR: $108,000+
-
Membership patients spent 3.9x more
-
New patient referrals doubled (thanks to word-of-mouth)
“Buying a practice was scary. Launching memberships with BoomCloud™ made it a slam dunk. Now, every month starts with cash in the bank—and my patients LOVE it.”
— Dr. Bold, OD
Bullet List: Cool Ideas & BoomCloud™ Moves
-
Predictable, recurring revenue
-
Higher per-patient value
-
Patient loyalty (and more referrals)
-
♂️ Stress-free staff and scheduling
-
Practice value jumps for resale (buyers want MRR)
-
Easy upsells: specialty lenses, dry eye care, medical services
PRO TIPS for New Owners (Don’t Skip)
-
Audit membership potential before you buy.
-
Use BoomCloud™ to set up day-one cash flow.
-
Survey staff and patients: What would they LOVE in a membership plan?
-
Celebrate and promote every new member signup (social proof!).
-
Use dashboards to track MRR, ARR, per-patient value, and recall rates.
The Bottom Line: Buy Smart, Build Smarter
Buying an optometry practice isn’t just a “deal”—it’s your shot to build the life and business you actually want.
Leverage recurring revenue and membership tools from the start and you’ll look back a year from now, wondering why everyone else makes it so complicated.
