By Staff
Friday, May 29, 2020 12:30 AM
Reopenings increase eyewear-related purchases, reopenings increase overall gross revenue, Versant Health announces inaugural Optometric Advisory Council, Prevent Blindness declares June Cataract Awareness Month, and Warby Parker starts gradual reopening of its stores all topped this week’s
VMAIL news feed. Click on the headlines below to catch up on anything you might have missed.
By Staff
Thursday, May 28, 2020 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—The optical business again experienced steady growth in all product/service categories, marking six weeks of increases. On a national level, the growth was again substantial, measuring at a rate of index points in the double digits. Business increases ranged from 10 index points for contact lenses to 12 index points for gross revenue. The three other categories being tracked (exams/refractions, frame units, lens pairs) grew at a rate of 11 index points each.
By Staff
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 12:27 AM
BALTIMORE—
Versant Health, a leading national managed eye health and vision plan company, has announced the formation of the inaugural Versant Health Optometric Advisory Council. The Advisory Council was formed to inform, assess and provide feedback on the Versant Health programs, policies and procedures that impact the optometric community.
By Staff
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 10:03 AM
NEW YORK—The year 2019 seems like a very distant memory right now, but in hindsight it was a fairly strong year for most optical retailers. In the U.S., the optical market rose to about $37.5 billion, according to The Vision Council’s VisionWatch tracking reports, and sales grew at a nice pace compared with the prior year.
By Staff
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 12:30 AM
CHICAGO—
Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest eye health and safety non-profit organization, has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month to educate the public on symptoms, types of cataract, cataract surgery and more. Cataract is the world's leading cause of blindness.
By Staff
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—
Warby Parker, one of the first retailers in the country and in the optical market to close down its stores on March 14,
as reported by VMAIL, due to the advent of COVID-19, has started to slowly reopen its brick-and-mortar locations.
By Staff
Friday, May 22, 2020 10:15 AM
Early registration opens for Academy 2020 Meeting, EyeCare Partners reinstates all services, Reopen Eyecare website launches, latest COVID-19 Business Tracker reveals optical continues an upward trend, and consolidation impacting 2019's Top 50 ranking in mid to upper tiers all topped this week’s
VMAIL news feed. Click on the headlines below to catch up on anything you might have missed.
By Staff
Friday, May 22, 2020 10:12 AM
ST. LOUIS—
EyeCare Partners has resumed all services throughout its network of optometry and ophthalmology practices across the country to offer patients a safe way to receive preventive and routine vision care, according to an announcement this week.
By Staff
Friday, May 22, 2020 10:09 AM
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—
Reopen Eyecare, a new digital website and platform designed to help eyecare providers navigate the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses, launched today.
By Staff
Friday, May 15, 2020 9:18 AM
UnitedHealthCare and GlassesUSA.com agree to network relationship, Prevent Blindness unveils new brand identity, Shopko Optical launches reopening plan, upticks in business seen across the U.S. according to Jobson COVID-19 Tracker, and 1-800 Contacts builds integrated, full-service vision business all topped this week’s
VMAIL news feed. Click on the headlines below to catch up on anything you might have missed.
By Staff
Friday, May 15, 2020 9:15 AM
CHICAGO—
Prevent Blindness, announced today the launch of its new brand identity, logo and website. The new look will be integrated in the organization's future "Be a Visionary" campaign: a call to action to join in the sight-saving efforts of Prevent Blindness. The new identity is designed to reflect the organization’s long history as well as its current sight-saving efforts and programs. The new look is designed to invoke the innovative, trusted and professional reputation of Prevent Blindness as it looks to the future, according to an announcement from the organization.
By Staff
Friday, May 15, 2020 9:12 AM
GREEN BAY, Wis.—After temporarily closing its centers to protect patients and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic,
Shopko Optical is reopening all of its 80-plus freestanding locations in a phased approach throughout the month of May, according to an announcement this week.
By Staff
Friday, May 15, 2020 9:03 AM
SALT LAKE CITY—Last week’s launch of
Boomerang, the new eyeglass lens replacement service from 1-800 Contacts, is the latest in a series of moves that signify the Utah-based company’s shift from online contact lens replacement service to an integrated, full-service online provider of vision products and services. Over the past three years, 1-800 Contacts has steadily expanded its capabilities through acquisitions and partnerships while building a comprehensive portfolio that now includes contact lenses, eyeglasses and spectacle lenses.