How do we slow this down?

But Dr. Dalton Brothers and Dr. Chris White are having a very different conversation with their patients today – they talk about how to maintain and improve it. 

In this week’s episode of Power Hour, Eugene Shatsman sits down with Dr. Dalton Brothers, Owner and Founder of Brothers Vision Consulting and OD at Brothers, Bezold & Associates, and Dr. Chris White, OD at San Juans Vision Source, to explore how they are using photobiomodulation with AMD patients: what the evidence suggests, what they are seeing clinically, and what this emerging treatment model could mean for both patients and practices.

Dalton now has roughly 200 AMD patients in treatment. Chris treated his first patient less than a year ago and has already built more than 40 cases while adding another two to three patients in a typical week.

And they brought real-world cases to prove why they are paying attention.

From “Slow the Decline” to a Very Different Conversation

Dalton first began seriously exploring photobiomodulation for AMD after reviewing the LIGHTSITE research and asking a simple question:

If there is an opportunity to help patients maintain vision, improve function, or potentially alter the progression they would otherwise expect, why wouldn’t we investigate it?

One of the first people he treated was his own mother.

After years of living with AMD, Dalton began tracking her retina closely through treatment. He reports that the first visible changes appeared within months, followed by additional changes over time. In her case, visual acuity eventually improved from 20/30 to 20/20, while retinal changes continued well beyond the initial treatment period.

That case helped turn an experiment into something much bigger. Today, Dalton is treating approximately 200 AMD patients.

The Outcomes Aren’t Only About the Eye Chart

One of the most interesting parts of the conversation is how Dalton and Chris define success.

Sometimes they are seeing structural retinal changes.

Sometimes visual acuity improves.

But sometimes the biggest win is simply that a patient who was expected to decline has remained stable.

Dalton also describes patients reporting functional changes that do not always show up neatly on an acuity chart — better color perception, better low-light vision, improved reading, and greater confidence navigating their environment.

For an aging patient, those changes can mean something much bigger: Independence.

Chris practices in the San Juan Islands, where the average age of his patients is around 72. He explains that for many of them, protecting vision is directly connected to how long they can continue driving, living independently, and remaining in the communities they chose for retirement.

They Brought the Cases With Them

This is one episode where watching on YouTube matters.

Both doctors walk Eugene through actual cases and retinal imaging from their practices.

Chris shows one of his earliest AMD patients and compares what he was seeing before treatment with what appeared after completing his photobiomodulation protocol.

Dalton walks through his mother’s case over time, showing the progression at different treatment intervals and explaining exactly what changed and when.

Instead of simply talking about photobiomodulation in theory, you get to see what has convinced these two doctors to continue investing in it.

This is where the episode takes an unexpected turn.

The practice economics caught Eugene’s attention almost immediately.

A patient may receive approximately 18 treatments in the first year on the lower end, with more intensive cases potentially reaching 30 visits. Dalton says an individual treatment generally takes about 12–18 minutes, with much of the workflow capable of being supported by staff depending on the reimbursement scenario.

Then Eugene takes Dalton’s patient volume and starts calculating.

Roughly:

200 patients × 22 treatments × $100 per treatment = $440,000.

That is Eugene’s simplified on-air calculation (not a universal revenue projection), but it immediately demonstrates why the business model deserves attention (and the economics do not necessarily stop after year one).

These are recurring patients who may continue returning for maintenance treatments, while remaining deeply connected to the practice managing one of the things they value most: their vision.

Clinical Impact and Practice Growth Don’t Have to Compete

That may be the bigger story behind this episode.

It is easy to look at a treatment that can create frequent patient visits, recurring revenue, and strong lifetime patient value and see the business opportunity.

But that is not why Dalton and Chris are excited about it.

They are excited because they believe they are giving some AMD patients a conversation they did not previously know how to have.

Not simply: “We’re going to watch this get worse.”

But: “There may be something more we can do.”

And when better patient care and a compelling practice model happen to point in the same direction, Eugene believes that is something independent ODs should understand.

A Special Offer for Power Hour Listeners

After hearing what Dalton and Chris were doing, Eugene tracked down the manufacturer behind the technology being used in their practices.

They agreed to sponsor this episode and put together a special opportunity specifically for Power Hour listeners interested in exploring the technology further.

Listen to the episode for the details.

Put The Eyecare B.O.S.S. to Work in Your Practice

Are you reading The Eyecare B.O.S.S. yet?

Thousands of copies of the growth manual have already been sold, but the book is only the beginning. If you’re ready to start implementing the systems inside your own practice, visit EyecareBoss.com.

There are more than 40 free tools available to download, including the same tools used with practices to help turn the concepts in the book into execution.

And the results are worth paying attention to.

Across a year-long study involving approximately 25 practice locations, participating practices saw average:

Refractions increase 19.4%. Revenue increase 23.9%.

In a market where much of the industry is flat, those results stand out.

You can use the book and tools independently, work alongside other practice owners in a group, or get one-on-one coaching support. Your call.

Your dream practice is waiting for you. Visit EyecareBoss.com

• A Different AMD Conversation | Learn why photobiomodulation has changed how Dalton and Chris talk to appropriate AMD patients about progression, functional vision, and what may be possible beyond simply monitoring decline.
• What They Are Actually Seeing | Explore the structural and functional changes the doctors report observing in their own patients, including retinal imaging, visual acuity, low-light vision, reading, and everyday function.
• The Real-World Treatment Protocol | See how they have translated the research into clinical workflows, from initial treatment cycles to ongoing maintenance and different approaches based on patient risk.
• The Economics Get Interesting Fast | Understand why 18 or more recurring visits in year one, relatively short treatment sessions, reimbursement opportunities, and cash-pay options caught Eugene’s attention from a practice-growth perspective.
• See the Cases for Yourself | Watch Dalton and Chris walk through actual patient imaging (including Dalton’s own mother) and explain what they observed at different stages of treatment.

Connect with Dr. Dalton Brothers

Dalton graduated from the University of Missouri Saint Louis College of Optometry in 2019 and has since joined his family’s esteemed practice in Joplin, Missouri. He specializes in ocular aesthetics and dry eye, providing cutting-edge therapies such as Plate Rich Plasma, Intense Pulsed Light, and Photobiomodulation. In 2021, Dalton expanded his passion for eye care by offering consulting services to fellow optometrists and ophthalmologists, helping them integrate these advanced therapies into their own clinics.

• Website: https://www.brothersvisionconsulting.com/ 

Connect with Dr. Chris White

Throughout his career, Dr. White has been actively involved in many areas of the optometric profession. He is a strong advocate for scope-of-practice legislation and played a role in advancing the field by designing an early optometry-specific electronic health record system, helping usher in the paperless era of optometry. In 2024, he received the Lifetime Commitment Award from the Orcas Island Lions Club in recognition of his years of dedication and service to the community.

• Website: https://www.sanjuansvision.com/

Connect with Eugene Shatsman

Eugene Shatsman is Host of Power Hour, Managing Partner of National Strategic Group, Co-Creator of The Eyecare BOSS, and a TEDx Speaker. A growth strategist and consultant to hundreds of optometric practices nationwide, Eugene specializes in scaling independent eye care businesses through structured strategy, marketing science, and operational clarity.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneshatsman/
• Website: https://eyecareboss.com/