Optopreneurship for a competitive and sustainable optometry practice in South Africa

Abstract

Background: Optopreneurship entails the entrepreneurial activities within the optometry industry. The term is new and derived from optometry and entrepreneurship. Optometrists are professionals who are responsible for screening, examining, diagnosing, treating and managing vision and eye health problems through the provision of optical devices and therapies. Optometry business and entrepreneurship have been poorly studied.

Aim: To provide an overview of optopreneurship and optopreneurial activities for competitiveness and sustainability in optometry practice from a South African perspective.

Method: Literature was reviewed from Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect databases using key terms such as entrepreneurship, health entrepreneurship, optometry entrepreneurship and optometry business used.

Results: Thirty-four scholarly articles were found to be relevant for the review. Fourteen articles were on entrepreneurship, 13 on eyecare and optometry, 2 on optometry business and 5 on healthcare entrepreneurship. Additionally, 24 websites were reviewed to provide evidence on entrepreneurship and optometry business. Though optometry business has higher revenue turnover potential, conglomerates exhibit superior business acumen over individual practitioners. Optometrists should enhance their business acumen and entrepreneurial agency by identifying underserviced areas such as to stay competitive.

Conclusion: Engaging in optopreneurial activities will help optometrists to develop competitive advantage. There is a need to develop and collate optometrists’ business acumen and clinical skills. More research is required in optopreneurship.

Contribution: This article seeks to highlight the overview of entrepreneurial activities and opportunities for optometrists in South Africa, and the need to develop a business acumen and entrepreneurial mindset to gain a competitive advantage.