Latest Consumer Barometer Shows Total U.S. Vision Care Revenues Dipped 3 Percent, Exams Up 1.2 Percent for 12ME June 2010
July 29, 2010 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—The total U.S. vision care market’s revenues dipped 3 percent for the 12 months ending June 2010 to $31.7 billion compared to $32.7 billion in the prior year 12-month period, according to the newly-released Q2 Consumer Barometer. A top-line view of vision care services and eyeglass purchasing trends among consumers across the U.S. by VisionWatch, the study is conducted by The Vision Council.
According to the Barometer, dollar sales of frames at retail also decreased for the 12-month period, dipping 3.1 percent; frames comprise 25.7 percent of current vision care market sales at retail. Lenses dipped 2.4 percent for the 12 months ending June; lenses comprise 29.6 percent of the total dollars.
The only areas to see an increase were eye exams and readers. Eye exams gained overall by 1.2 percent during the period, their value accounting for 15.6 percent of $31.7 billion in total vision care revenues for the 12-month period—up from 14.9 percent of revenue which was spent on exams for the 12-months ending June 2009. The number of eye exams for the six months ending June 2010 was 47.4 million, an increase from the prior six-months ending December 2009 which was 46.9 million. Readers, which make up 2 percent of the total vision care market, rose 2.9 percent last year. Meanwhile, revenues from contact lenses descended in dollar sales by 1 percent, while sunglasses’ dollar sales declined 6.8 percent for the 12-month period.
Consumers’ future purchasing intent for prescription eyeglasses for the six months from January to June 2010, declined from purchasing intent index levels in the October 2009 to March 2010 period.
The complete Q2 Consumer Barometer, which shows updated info on sales in frames, lenses, contact lenses, sunglasses, readers, eye exams and refractive surgery, is available from the Vision Council. For more information, contact Stephen Kodey, Director of Industry Research, (703) 740-1095
skodey@thevisioncouncil.org.