SearchCost Talk Toolkit: Simple Tips and Scripts for Optometry Practices
Equip your team with practical scripts, quick tips and tools to confidently discuss financing options and help support patients in making informed vision care decisions.
By Synchrony Health & Wellness
Jun 26, 2026 - 3 min read
Curious about CareCredit financing options and looking for quick conversation scripts? This downloadable toolkit can help make cost conversations easy for your optometry team and empower more patients to get the vision care and eyewear they want and need.
Here's what you'll get:
Quick Tips
Learn simple phrases that can help you talk to patients about financing with the CareCredit health and wellness credit card, including:
- What it is. CareCredit is a credit card that offers promotional financing for out-of-pocket health and wellness expenses.
- What it does. If approved for CareCredit, you can pay for your eyewear and care over time to help fit the total cost into your monthly budget.
- The benefit of revolving credit. If approved for a CareCredit credit card, you don’t have to reapply to use it to pay for treatments or procedures in the future.
- Prequalifying with no credit impact. If you’re interested in financing, you can see if you prequalify for the CareCredit credit card with no impact to your credit score.
- When a patient has insurance. If approved, you can use CareCredit to help pay for out-of-pocket costs not covered by your insurance.
- The simplicity of applying. It only takes a few minutes to apply. In fact, you can do it from your smartphone and you’ll receive a credit decision immediately.
- The utility of CareCredit. CareCredit can be used to pay for other health and wellness wants and needs at more than 285,000 providers and select retail locations, such as dentistry, dermatology and veterinary care.
Sample Scripts
The following sample scripts offer quick, patient-friendly language for discussing CareCredit throughout the visit.Script 1: Before the Examination
Before the examination
Mentioning promotional financing when scheduling patients' appointments can empower them to purchase eyewear when they're in your clinic. They may also want to know that you accept the CareCredit credit card for all of your services from routine exams to dry eye treatment and more.
| Speaker | Script |
|---|---|
| Office | “You’re all set, Mrs. Jones. You’re on our appointment schedule for next week. Just so you’re aware, we accept the CareCredit credit card as a way to pay over time.” |
| Patient | “What’s CareCredit?” |
| Office | “It's a credit card that offers people a way to pay for the healthcare they want and need. If approved, you can pay for your eye care and eyewear in convenient monthly payments. For purchases of $200 or more, promotional financing is available. The card is also accepted at thousands of locations in the CareCredit network, including dentists, dermatologists, veterinarians and more. Would you like information about the deferred interest promo financing option?” |
90% of approved cardholders who apply via provider QR code or custom link make a transaction1
Script 2: During Eyewear Selection
Showing patients what their monthly payment could be can help them see how eyewear and care could fit into their budget. It may even encourage them to purchase designer frames or a second pair.
| Speaker | Script |
|---|---|
| Patient | “I think I like these the best, but it’s a bit more than I was planning on spending.” |
| Office | “Those look great on you. To manage costs, we offer flexible financing. Have you heard of the CareCredit healthcare credit card?” |
| Office Option 1 | “I can show you the estimated monthly payment if you used the CareCredit credit card with promotional financing to purchase them today.” |
| Office Option 2 | “On purchases of $200 or more, CareCredit offers promotional financing with deferred interest if paid in full within 6 months. If approved, you can use the card to purchase your eye care and eyewear today and pay over time in convenient monthly payments. You can apply in minutes from your mobile device and get a decision right away. Would you like information about that?” |
Note: Let patients know they can apply via your QR code or custom link from their phones or any mobile device. If they aren't ready to apply, give them the patient brochure to take home.
3 Important Things To Know About Deferred Interest
- Interest will be charged to the account from the purchase date IF the promotional balance is not paid in full within the promotional period.
- Minimum monthly payments are required and may or may not pay off the promotional balance before the end of the promotional period.
- Refer patients to the full disclosure listed on the patient brochure or online payment calculator.
The majority of CareCredit cardholders pay their balance in full within the promotional period, avoiding paying interest2
Script 3: Recommending Complete Care
From treatments and yearly exams to glasses and contacts, the cost of eye care can add up. Flexible financing can help patients get the care they want and need.
| Speaker | Script |
|---|---|
| Office | “Mrs. Jones, do you want to get your new glasses, contacts and dry eye drops today?” |
| Patient | “Yes… but how much is all of this going to cost? I have vision insurance and a little in my HSA but not a lot.” |
| Office | “Let’s see what your insurance covers. Your HSA will help, and we also accept the CareCredit healthcare credit card. If approved, you can use it today and in the future for exams, glasses, contacts, eye drops—all of your vision care. A lot of patients find CareCredit helpful. Want to hear more?” |
Tools for Every Touchpoint
Whether you're talking to patients in person or online, CareCredit is here for you:
- Just getting started? Hear from other providers about how they use CareCredit.
- Need help sharing financing? Download ready-made social media posts.
- Dealing with care delays over cost concerns? Show patients how care could fit into their budget with the Dry Eye Cost Worksheet.
Download these tools and more on our Resource Center
Printable CareCredit FAQs
Access a reference sheet that can help you easily answer patients’ most common questions about flexible financing for vision care.
View PDF
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Get StartedThe information, opinions and recommendations expressed in the article are for informational purposes only. Information has been obtained from sources generally believed to be reliable. However, because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by our sources, or any other, Synchrony and any of its affiliates, including CareCredit, (collectively, “Synchrony”) does not provide any warranty as to the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of any information for its intended purpose or any results obtained from the use of such information. The data presented in the article was current as of the time of writing. Please consult with your individual advisors with respect to any information presented.
© 2026 Synchrony Bank.
Sources:
1 Synchrony Health & Wellness Analytics June 2024–June 2025
2 Nearly 80% of deferred interest transactions across Synchrony (including CareCredit) are paid off before interest is assessed, Synchrony Analytics 2025.