NEW YORK—National optical sales were flat across the board last week (March 8-14), except for contact lens sales, which were down -3 index points, according to Jobson’s Practice Performance Tracker. All other categories (gross revenue, exams/refractions, frame units, and lens pairs) showed no changed when comparing optical sales last week with the previous week (March 1-7). This coincides with the number of new COVID cases nationally also remaining flat, averaging out at about 65,000 new cases per day over the course of the last two weeks, according to the 7-day Moving Average on the CDC COVID Data Tracker. 

Regionally, the West showed the most growth in optical sales, ranging from an increase of 1 index point for gross revenue and exams/refractions to 3 index points for frame units. The Midwest experienced the largest declines in optical sales over the course of last week (March 8-14), ranging from -2 index points for gross revenue and exams/refractions to -3 index points for frame units, lens pairs, and contact lenses.

The Northeast and South were either flat or close to flat, with any increases reaching 1 index point. Contact lens sales were down in all regions, ranging from -2 index points in the South to -4 index points in the West and Northeast. This all coincides with a continuing variety of ups and downs in COVID cases within each state, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. 

The Jobson COVID-19 Practice Performance Tracker data is compiled by Jobson Research from GPN/EDGEPro and ABB Analyze data. Another element of the report illustrates Consumer Sentiments about the COVID-19 response and purchasing intentions, with data supplied by The Vision Council.

This index baseline was developed by Jobson Research from total sales from an average 7 days in the first quarter of 2019.

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