Marge Axelrad, Sr. VP/Editorial Director
Marge oversees the overall editorial direction of
Vision Monday and its print publication,
VMAIL, e-newsletters,
VisionMonday.com and special events including the
VM Global Leadership Summit.
She is also in charge of general corporate and company news, industry developments and business trends,
financial news. Marge specializes in frame sunwear companies, practice management programs,
spectacle lens and contact lens companies, managed care, wholesale laboratories, and research.
She is also the editor of
CLICK, a twice-a-month e-newsletter. Contact Marge at
maxelrad@jobson.com.
By Marge Axelrad
Thursday, February 23, 2023 8:30 AM
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—A leading optometric innovator has brought several elevated eyecare and patient experience concepts to her newest location in Southern California. Nikki Iravani, OD, the founder and CEO of
eyeXam Optometry in Silicon Valley’s Santa Clara, Calif. opened a bright, bold second luxury practice in the Crystal Cove Shopping Center in upscale Newport Beach in Orange County last fall.
By Gwendolyn Plummer and Marge Axelrad
Friday, November 4, 2022 11:30 AM
NEW YORK—Long term societal issues, like those of diversity, equity & inclusion, have been fighting the hard fight for many years. With the escalation of the disruption unleashed by the global pandemic, the brighter spotlight on the topic from media, and a groundswell among individuals and organizations that more vocal and active commitment was needed, DE&I initiatives continue to expand. Voices from within health care, business, family, politics and culture are starting to join with those in structured organizations along with more assertive storytelling from groups victimized or impacted by the lack of inclusion in hiring, in receiving or accessing fair and equitable business or health care services and more. Individuals, groups and organizations across the optical industry and vision care profession, are stepping up to support these as part of an expanding commitment.
By Gwendolyn Plummer and Marge Axelrad
Monday, October 17, 2022 1:00 AM
NEW YORK—Long term societal issues, like those of diversity, equity & inclusion, have been fighting the hard fight for many years. With the escalation of the disruption unleashed by the global pandemic, the brighter spotlight on the topic from media, and a groundswell among individuals and organizations that more vocal and active commitment was needed, DE&I initiatives continue to expand. Voices from within health care, business, family, politics and culture are starting to join with those in structured organizations along with more assertive storytelling from groups victimized or impacted by the lack of inclusion in hiring, in receiving or accessing fair and equitable business or health care services and more.
By Marge Axelrad and Mark Tosh
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 1:00 AM
NEW YORK—After the shock of the 2020 pandemic and the slow build back to some semblance of stability by the end of that year, the leading U.S. optical retailers and companies, both national and regional groups, came back in 2021 with a solid mid-to-high double digit performance overall. While the 2020 year was characterized as working past store and office closures to “craft a comeback,” as
VM noted in our 2021 Top 50, the 12 months of 2021 were marked by tightening up operations, accelerating new digital technologies to power operations and to demonstrate new ideas to consumers and patients. Companies reconsidered initiatives like more online sales choices or remote eyecare.
By Marge Axelrad and Mark Tosh
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 12:59 AM
NEW YORK—In contrast to the harrowing year that was 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world and forced many stores to close in the U.S for many weeks, the 2021 business year saw a comeback for the U.S.’s Top 50 Optical Retailers and groups, Vision Monday has learned. Based on submissions from companies as well as VM’s own estimates, the collective Top 50 Retailers’ sales for the 12 months ending 2021 ended up higher by some 21 percent from the previous year.
By Marge Axelrad and Mark Tosh
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 12:56 AM
NEW YORK—Mirroring their overall companies’ sales performance in 2021, which saw the U.S.’ mass merchants and warehouse clubs reflect strong consumer buying activity and a healthy return to business after the initial pandemic year of 2020, those operations with optical departments experienced healthy gains as well. Collective revenues from this sector of the market rose some 16 percent for the year, reaching $3.86 billion in calendar year 2021, according to their reports and VM estimates.
By Marge Axelrad and Gwendolyn Plummer
Tuesday, May 24, 2022 2:00 AM
While sustainability and environmental concerns are not new, during the pandemic, people have become more sensitive to the environmental impact of their shopping decisions. In fact, much of the world’s recognition of the perils of climate change and accompanying social responsibility combined with shifting consumer priorities have led companies, executives, organizations and private citizens to dub this an era of a “global eco-awakening.”
By Marge Axelrad
Tuesday, May 24, 2022 1:59 AM
NEW YORK—Much progress continues to be made in developing new sustainable materials options for eyewear and sunwear manufacturers via the initiatives and collaborative efforts of Eastman (NYSE:EMN), one of the world’s largest plastics producers. Through the company’s multi-year efforts to create a more sustainable, circular approach to the system of recycling plastics into partnerships aimed at limiting the environmental impact of acetate frames and by using what they describe as “eco-responsible” formulas of recycled content and bio-sourced materials, a series of announcements have continued through 2021 and into 2022, “with more to come,” executives told VM.
By Marge Axelrad
Friday, May 20, 2022 1:00 AM
NEW YORK—The challenging business and cultural climate of the past couple of years have brought on many new definitions of what constitutes an excellent customer or patient experience. That’s because the pandemic shutdown was such an initial shock to the normal interactions between patients and doctors, customers and retailers that everything underwent a reassessment and rethinking, even as the situation improved.
By Marge Axelrad
Friday, May 20, 2022 12:59 AM
NEW YORK—One of the trends gaining much more adoption among independents as well as multi-location chains this year and much of last year has been the willingness to offer patients of brick-and-mortar eyecare offices and optical retail locations the ability to explore eyewear options even before they get into the practice as well as to follow up visits with the doctor or dispensing expert via online e-commerce. Optify is one of the companies facilitating that process with a range of customizable options that can expand the practice’s outreach, connection and product selection.
By Marge Axelrad
Friday, May 20, 2022 12:58 AM
LOS ANGELES—Part of the modern patient experience in health care and at retail is to help patients and consumers better understand the value of their services and purchases and also to minimize friction in the payment process. Sunbit’s buy now, pay later technology (BNPL), reflecting a broad trend in flexible payment options for consumers, has been widening its involvement with both independent eyecare practices and optical retailers along with multi-location clients.
By Marge Axelrad
Saturday, April 23, 2022 12:53 AM
NEW YORK—The pace of change is literally dizzying. In fact, it’s impossible for any human to “keep up” to manage the speed of it, certainly as digital technology moves ahead so rapidly. Those observations were part of the closing session of VM’s Summit, as offered by David Kepron, founder of the NXTVL Experience Design podcast, former head of global design for Marriott International, an experienced retail design expert, author and architect.