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View an alphabetical list of honorees from 2003 to 2019


NEW YORK—We hear the term “influencer” a lot these days. It’s frequently used to describe celebrities, media personalities or the latest YouTube stars whose words and actions are magnified through the lens of social media. They connect with millions of people, but their impact is often fleeting, as our attention shifts to the next big thing.

But there’s another type of influencer, those who are outstanding in their field, and who touch us in ways that are profound and lasting. They are the people VM honors each year as “The Most Influential Women in Optical.”

This special program, now in its 17th year, is eagerly awaited by VM readers. This year they nominated 213 women for recognition. The Most Influential Women are nominated by their bosses, co-workers and colleagues, with nearly 40 final selections made by VM editors. They are always a diverse group consisting of executives, sales and marketing professionals, ECPs, administrators, researchers and teachers. This eclectic mix is emblematic of the broad reach of women in our industry and indicative of how deeply they are embedded in its fabric.

We invite you to meet these optical achievers, and join us in celebrating their accomplishments.

—The Editors