Is Your Optometry Office Space Helping or Hurting Your ROI?

When you think about practice profitability, clinical care, and patient volume probably come to mind first. But what if one of the biggest drivers of your return on investment isn’t your lane count or optical sales—it’s your lease?

Too often, optometry practices underestimate the financial ripple effect of their physical space. Whether you’re building from scratch or looking to upgrade, how (and where) you set up shop can make or break your margins.

The Trust Cost of a Space

Sure, location is key—but so is carrying costs, flexibility, and scalability. That beautiful corner suite might win on curb appeal, but if it eats 15-25% of your gross revenue and doesn’t allow for expansion? It’s a liability disguised as a luxury.

A financially healthy space should hit three key goals:

• Enable efficient patient flow
• Allow for future growth without a major overhaul
• Stay under 13% of your total revenue in occupancy costs (rent, maintenance, taxes)

Modular Over Monumental

It’s tempting to think big—10 exam rooms, spa-style waiting area, 3,000 sq. ft. of gleaming real estate. But unless your growth trajectory demands it now, that space could sit underutilized while your overhead balloons.

Today’s best practices are thinking modular. They start lean, optimize their layout, and build with flexibility. Think of operable walls, shared breakrooms, and open floor plans that can adapt to seasonal services or staffing shifts.

Why? Because a scalable space equals a scalable business.

Hidden ROI Drivers

Not all ROI is financial on paper. A smart office design reduces burnout, improves the patient experience, and speeds up workflow—all of which affect revenue.

Ask yourself:

• Can patients move smoothly from check-in to pre-testing to the exam lane?
• Is your billing staff in a quiet zone where focus matters?
• Are your contact lens fittings or dry eye treatments in a room that invites trust and privacy?

These aren’t aesthetic decisions. They’re operational ones.

Build for the Practice You’re Becoming

Your physical space isn’t just where you work—it’s a strategic asset. And in a high-stakes RCM environment, it’s one of the most overlooked levers for growth.

Before you sign another lease, explore:

• How your space supports or stifles workflow
• What it’s costing you beyond rent
• Whether your current setup aligns with where you want your practice to be in 3-5 years

Because in optometry, like in real estate, growth favors those who plan for it.