NEW YORK—For the second week in a row, optical sales experienced declines. These declines were more significant for the week ending July 5 than during the previous week ending June 28, and they affected all regions and all service/product categories. At least two factors likely caused this overall downturn, a national holiday weekend celebrated across the country and a surge in COVID-19 cases throughout many states. With both factors affecting optical sales, this downward trend was experienced throughout the country and was not limited only to those areas experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases.

Gross revenue and exams/refractions had the largest decline of 12 index points, while contact lens sales had the smallest decline of 6 index points. The other two categories, frame units and lens pairs both fell by 10 index points.

Regionally, the decline in optical sales was across the board, ranging between a decline of 9 and 14 index points for all service/product categories in all regions, except for contact lens sales, which declined at a lower rate, ranging from flat to minus 8 index points in the South and Northeast. While COVID-19 cases are on the rise in many states, this downturn cannot be solely attributed to this cause, as the Northeast, which is down in COVID-19 cases, is also down in optical sales at a rate that is comparable to the other regions, so it is evident the national holiday weekend had a major impact in all regions as well.

Overall consumer concerns about COVID-19 were higher for the weekly period ending July 5 compared to the prior week ending June 28 and exceeding 60 percent for the first time in the weeks since mid-May. Consumers' intent to delay or postpone eyewear purchases were relatively stable to the prior Tracker's weekly performance at approximately the 20 percent level.

The Jobson COVID-19 Practice Performance Tracker data is compiled by Jobson Research from GPN and ABB Analyze data. Another element of the report illustrates Consumer Sentiments about the COVID-19 response and purchasing intentions, with data supplied by The Vision Council.

Click here to view the complete Jobson COVID-19 Performance Tracker.