Transitions Academy to Mark 25th Anniversary June 13-16, 2021 in Orlando, Fla.

PINELLAS PARK, Fla.—Typically held in February, Transitions Academy will celebrate its 25th year as one of the industry’s most well-recognized educational events from June 13 – 16, 2021 at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Fla, the company announced late yesterday. The submission dates for the Transitions Innovation Awards are also being extended. The awards are open to optical industry professionals, educators, retailers, optical laboratories and independent eyecare professionals and practices. The Transitions Innovation Awards categories include: 2020 Transitions Brand Ambassador (individual-only award), Retailer of the Year, Eyecare Practice of the Year, Best in Training and Best in Marketing.

ECPs Optimistic as Business Increases, Wave 15 of Jobson Survey Finds

NEW YORK—Even with the coronavirus pandemic continuing to move across the U.S. in a hopscotch-like path, ECPs and eyecare practice managers seem to be exhibiting a more optimistic outlook on circumstances and taking steps to get back to more of a “normal” approach to business, according to the 15th Wave of Jobson's ECP Coronavirus Survey. Jobson Research conducted the survey during the Sept. 18-22 period.

KKR to Acquire 1-800 Contacts from AEA Investors in Deal Valued at About $3 Billion

DRAPER, Utah—1-800 Contacts, the largest retailer of contact lenses in the U.S., today announced a definitive agreement under which global investment firm KKR will acquire the company from AEA Investors. The sale follows many years of strong growth and technology innovation for the direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand, which was purchased by AEA Investors in 2016. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. However, sources close to the deal told VMAIL that the deal is valued at roughly $3 billion, about $2 billion more than when it was acquired by AEA.

Jobson Tracker: Optical Sales Bounce Back to Pre-Labor Day Holiday Levels

NEW YORK—Nationally, optical sales returned to their levels prior to the Labor Day Holiday during the most recent week for which metrics have been tracked (Sept. 14 – Sept. 20). Following substantial decreases resulting from the Labor Day holiday for the previous week tracked (Sept. 7 – Sept. 13), overall optical sales in all categories bounced back to where they had been on a national level during the week of Aug. 31 to Sept. 6. 

Learn More About VM's Summit: 'Aftershocks...Remaking Healthcare's Future' in a Special Video Message

NEW YORK—The upcoming Vision Monday Global Leadership Summit will examine the big themes and urgent questions facing ECPs and vision care decision makers in light of the pandemic which has created new challenges on so many levels. Want to learn more about #VMSUMMIT, the most important thought leadership event for our industry in 2020? Learn how it will rethink healthcare and its relationship to the eye health and retail components of the vision care industry in this exclusive video message from Jobson’s CEO Marc Ferrara and find out why this year’s Summit is the can’t miss virtual event of 2020.