2. Methodology
E-mail survey deployed in May 2010 to 7,500
randomly selected Eyecare Business readers
A raffle for one $100 American Express gift
cheque served as the respondent incentive
Results based on 277 complete responses
3. Respondents by Job Title
OD in Solo Practice 29%
OD in Group Practice 9%
Other OD 15%
Self-employed Dispensing Optician 7%
Dispensing Optician: Employee of OD 9%
Dispensing Optician: Employee of MD 9%
Dispensing Optician: Employee of Retail Corp 8%
Other Dispensing Optician 6%
Other Vision Care Professional 8%
5. Sales: Q1 2010 vs. Q1 2009
60
50
40 Nation
NE
30
South
20 MW
West
10
0
Up Down Flat
6. Sales: 2009 vs. 2008
70
60
50
Nation
40 NE
30 South
MW
20 West
10
0
Up Down Flat
7. Most Popular Frame Type
Plastics saw the most growth 2009-2010
60
2010
50
40 Nation
NE
30 South
MW
20
West
10
0
Plastic Metal Rimless Other
8. Patient Behavior: Refilling Prescriptions
New eyewear selection increased in every region
but the South from 2009 to 2010.
90 2010
80
70
60 Nation
50 NE
40 South
30 MW
20 West
10
0
Select New Eyewear Refill in Existing
Frames
9. Second-pair Sales
Casual frame sales grew 5-10% in every region
but the Midwest from 2009 to 2010.
80
2010
70
60
50 Nation
NE
40
South
30
MW
20 West
10
0
Casual Sunwear Clips Other
Frame
10. Frame Pricing
ECPs evolved with the market trends over the past 24 months,
incorporating more low- and high-end options into the mix.
The regions showing the biggest shift were the West and Midwest.
50 2010
45
40
35
Nation
30
NE
25
20 South
15 MW
10 West
5
0 Remained the Expanded to Expanded to Expanded to
Same Include Higher Include Lower Include Both
Price Points Price Points
11. Percentage of free-form/digitally
produced lenses
2009 2010
Nation 19% 25%
Northeast 18% 25%
South 27% 25%
Midwest 15% 27%
West 17% 22%
12. Most-used Premium Lens Material
60
2010
50
40 Nation
NE
30 South
MW
20
West
10
0 1.6 1.67 1.74 Trivex Polycarbonate Other
13. Most-sold Extra
Polarized lenses realized the most growth across the nation as an
add-on sale from 2009 to 2010. Photochromic sales decreased in the
Midwest while AR sales decreased in the South.
80
2010
70
60
Nation
50
NE
40 South
30 MW
West
20
10
0 Polarized Photochromic Tints AR Other
14. Edging In-house vs. 2009
70
60
50
Nation
40 NE
South
30
MW
20 West
10
0
More Less Same NA
15. Presbyopes: Percentage PALs
vs. Multifocals
Region % PALs % Multifocals
Nation 68% 69% 27% 28%
Northeast 65% 70% 28% 27%
South 70% 70% 26% 29%
Midwest 72% 69% 26% 27%
West 67% 67% 29% 30%
16. Fastest Growing Specialty Category
Computer lenses are by far the fastest growing
specialty category across the nation.
Region Kids Sports Low Computer
Nation 20% 8% 7% 53%
Northeast 19% 14% 7% 41%
South 26% 6% 1% 56%
Midwest 24% 6% 9% 50%
West 10% 6% 12% 60%
17. Selling Products Online
The move to sell products online is slow, with the exception of
contact lenses. 79% of ECPs across the nation do not sell products
online. Of that percentage, 26% plan to do so within the next
two years. Respondents in the South and Midwest were most likely to
start selling products online over the next two years.
Nation NE South Midwest West
Rx Eyewear 3% 5% 5% 1% 2%
Rx Sunwear 3% 3% 4% 1% 2%
Plano Sunwear 3% 3% 4% 1% 3%
Readers 2% 2% 3% 1% 3%
Contact Lenses 21% 24% 24% 11% 25%
Accessories 2% 2% 3% 3% 2%
