The annual L&T Lens Usage survey in the May issue of 20/20 magazine provides a useful benchmark for independent eyecare practitioners to compare their spectacle lens and Rx sun lens sales against. The data complied here, based on input from 537 independent optical retailers, also sheds light on how these ECPs dispense certain lenses, such as digital progressive and single vision lenses that may require personalized measurements. Three-year comparative data is included wherever possible to show how sales of various products are trending.

Here's a snapshot of some of the survey highlights. To see more survey results, visit 2020mag.com.

Total Sales
Compared to three years ago, 64 percent of retailers said that spectacle lenses and treatments made up a larger percentage of their location’s total gross dollar sales in 2019. In 2019, 55 percent said pricing on spectacle lenses and treatments has increased compared to 3 years ago as well and 43 percent said that Rx sun lenses as a percentage of total dollar sales increased over the same period.

Lens Sales
When asked to rank lens design by popularity, standard or aspheric single vision was ranked most popular by 43 percent of retailers. Customized or personalized progressives were ranked most popular by 35 percent. Less than one third of retailers (27 percent) said less than 3 percent of single vision Rx’s sold are digitally enhanced. 65 percent of retailers said less than 3 percent of single vision digitally enhanced lenses use actual vertex, tilts and wrap measurements done in the office by the retailer. Close to three fourths (68 percent) of retailers said that customized or personalized progressives lenses made up a greater proportion of their total lens sales in 2019 than they had versus 3 years ago and 52 percent said computer/variable focus sales had increased over the last 3 years, while 28 percent said that sales of bi/trifocals had decreased as a percentage of total lens sales over the last 3 years respectively. 73 percent prefer lens manufacturer brands over lab private labels for digital progressive lenses.

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