NEW YORK—The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations increased last week, April 25-May 1, at a rate of 1 index point. That places gross revenue at a level 4 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 18) when compared with last year and 13 points above 2019. During 2020, however, with pandemic-related, mandated shutdowns in effect, gross revenue was at a level of 26 index points. That’s 83 points below Week 18 of this year, according to Jobson’s most recent Practice Performance Tracker.

All but one optical sales category increased last week. When comparing last week with the previous week, the exams/refractions category was the only one to decrease, by -1 index point. All other categories were up, all by 1 index point except frame units, which increased by 3 index points. When comparing optical sales with the previous year, categories were both up and down.

The contact lenses category was up the most, by 8 index points, when comparing Week 18 of this year with the same period last year. Also up were gross revenue (4 index points) and exams/refractions (2 index points). Frame units were down (-1 index point) as were lens pairs (-3 index points) when comparing Week 18 this year with the same period last year.

With optical sales varied last week, three categories reached levels above an average week in 2019—the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker. Gross revenue, frame units and lens pairs were equal to or above that benchmark at 109, 104 and 102 index points, respectively, while exams/refractions and contact lenses were below, at 93 and 88 index points, respectively.

Jobson Optical Research selected 1,500 optical locations that have been operating and reporting their sales to its partners, GPN and ABB Analytics, since 2019. The index has been rebased to an average week in 2019. Going forward, this new index base will be used as an arbitrary benchmark and assigned a value of 100.

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