By Staff
Friday, April 19, 2024 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—
Vision Monday will be publishing its signature
Annual Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers Report in its upcoming June print/digital edition this year.
VM's annual
survey of regional and national retailers will collect and present sales and operations data for the calendar year ending Dec. 31, 2023. The deadline to submit information is April 26. "The Top 50 report and ranking will continue to examine U.S optical retail and ECP group revenues, and serves as a valuable resource to readers," said Anne Cooper, editorial director of
Vision Monday and
20/20.
By Staff
Monday, April 15, 2024 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—
Vision Monday will be publishing its signature
Annual Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers Report in its upcoming June print/digital edition this year.
VM's annual
survey will include regional and national retailers for the exclusive report.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, April 10, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Monday’s solar eclipse was a once-in-20-years natural phenomenon that left millions of Americans with a sense of wonder and excitement—and with a pair of eclipse glasses that they have no idea what to do with. With two decades to go until the next major eclipse here in North America, holding onto the protective glasses might not make sense (though, as
USA Today reports, modern eclipse glasses don’t expire, according to the American Astronomical Society), but, thankfully, there are a few ways to recycle or repurpose eclipse glasses that are both sustainably-minded and helpful to others.
By Staff
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—
Vision Monday will be publishing its signature
Annual Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers Report in its upcoming June print/digital edition this year. The industry's leading news platform is kicking off its annual
survey among regional and national retailers for the exclusive report, which will collect and present sales and operations data for the calendar year ending Dec. 31, 2023. "The Top 50 report and ranking will continue to examine U.S optical retail and ECP group revenues, and serves as a valuable resource to readers," said Anne Cooper, editorial director of
Vision Monday and
20/20.
By Staff
Tuesday, March 26, 2024 12:24 AM
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—
The Vision Council, a nonprofit association with members spanning the optical industry, represents the U.S. during the creation and maintenance of international optical industry technical standards by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), including ISO 12312-2, the standard that all “filters for the direct observation of the sun” should meet. “Industry standards help protect both manufacturers and consumers; they ensure everyone is aware of the minimum safety requirements necessary to preserve one of humanity’s most critical senses—sight,” said Michael Vitale, VP of membership, government relations and technical standards at The Vision Council. “Check that your eclipse glasses are marked with ISO 12312-2 and keep your eyes safe while viewing this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
By Staff
Sunday, March 17, 2024 10:30 AM
NEW YORK—The
Opticians Association of America (OAA), and the
National Federation of Opticianry Schools (NFOS), have completed a merger, with continuing funding provided by the
American Board of Opticianry & National Contact Lens Examiners (ABO & NCLE) that has created a model opticianry association representing over 80,000 opticians and contact lens professionals throughout North America, according to a statement from the three organizations. OAA has proudly been committed to promoting a professional stature of opticianry through leadership education and communication since 1925, and NFOS has been dedicated to facilitating the development of formal educational programs, upgrading the standards of opticianry education, and working for uniformity of opticianry education since 1999.
By Staff
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 12:30 AM
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Vision Council, a trade association dedicated to supporting the optical industry, released Focused inSights 2024: Online vs. In-Person Purchase Patterns, offering a comprehensive examination of consumer shopping habits for eyeglasses, contact lenses, sunglasses and readers. The report detailed both online and in-person buying trends, providing valuable insights for a variety of optical businesses. A summary, along with the full research report, is available in The Vision Council’s
Research Download Center as a complimentary download for members of The Vision Council, with a paid option for non-members.
By Staff
Thursday, March 7, 2024 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—
The Vision Council and
RX, co-organizers of
Vision Expo East, have announced new details on special events planned throughout the four-day Expo, scheduled for March 14 through 17 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. The Expo is marking its final show in the Big Apple before heading to Orlando, Fla., in 2025, and will be paying homage to its history in New York. “Vision Expo East 2024 is shaping up to be a most memorable event as we look forward to bringing people together from all across the industry, country and globe to celebrate nearly four decades of success in New York City, before kicking off our next chapter,” said Fran Pennella, vice president, Vision Expo at RX.
By Staff
Friday, February 16, 2024 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—A special registration price is now available for the live, in-person 2024 Vision Monday Leadership Summit, taking place on Wednesday, March 13, just ahead of Vision Expo East here. The special registration price of $695 will be valid through Feb. 21. Registration for the 17th annual VM Summit and details about the event are posted at
www.visionmonday.com/summit. The Summit program will open with a networking breakfast from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., and the program and lunch will run from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration includes the full program, networking breakfast and lunch.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 12:21 AM
NEW YORK—As artificial intelligence and its pervasive impact on modern life continues to make headlines, the 2024 Vision Monday Leadership Summit will bring AI’s influence on optical business and vision care into focus. The 17th annual VM Summit will take place in New York on March 13, just ahead of Vision Expo. In line with this year’s Summit theme, "What's Your AI Acuity? Sharpening a Vision for the Future," influential thought leaders, business experts and vision care professionals will explore the critical decisions that leaders need to wrestle with to develop a clear-eyed view of the risks and rewards of AI implementation.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 12:18 AM
NEW YORK—As artificial intelligence and its pervasive impact on modern life continues to make headlines, the 2024 Vision Monday Leadership Summit will bring AI’s influence on optical business and vision care into focus. The 17th annual VM Summit will take place in New York on March 13, just ahead of Vision Expo. In line with this year’s Summit theme, "What's Your AI Acuity? Sharpening a Vision for the Future," influential thought leaders, business experts and vision care professionals will explore the critical decisions that leaders need to wrestle with to develop a clear-eyed view of the risks and rewards of AI implementation.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, February 8, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK and MILAN, Italy—Over 40,000 people headed to Milan this month for the 2024 edition of
Mido. The show welcomed visitors from over 160 countries—including many Americans who made the trek across the Atlantic to take a look at Italian eyewear up close and personal. Mido organizers reported a major success this year, with an 11 percent gain in visitors over last year and an active presence overall. Mido president Giovanni Vitaloni said, “Prior to the show opening, we had hoped for an increase in visitors compared to last year. Thanks to everyone’s efforts and the industry’s trust in us each year, we achieved the ambitious goal we had set for ourselves." Here, we’re taking a look at how some ECPs spent their time in Milan.
By Staff
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 12:27 AM
BENTONVILLE, Ark.—In a program ramping up nationwide that will be marketed next month,
Walmart, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is debuting its own augmented reality optical try-on to enable customers to visualize and customize eyeglass fits. The company talked about its approach in a corporate blog post, noting that its approach will be to offer the VTO service in what it calls "adaptive retail." The company explained in its post, "At Walmart, we are committed to being there for our customers—whenever, wherever and however they choose to shop with us, the customer is at the center of everything we do."
By Staff
Friday, January 26, 2024 12:27 AM
ST. LOUIS—
EyeCare Partners (ECP), a leading provider of clinically integrated eyecare, announced that Chris Throckmorton has been named chief executive officer, succeeding the role held by Ben Breier as interim CEO. This change is effective Jan. 29, 2024. “We are thrilled Chris is joining the organization,” said Breier, head of U.S. private equity health and life at Partners Group. “Chris’ proven track record and dedication to patients and clinicians made him the ideal candidate to lead the organization into its next phase of growth and success. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact he will have on our continued commitment to enhance vision, advance eyecare and improve lives.”
By Staff
Tuesday, January 16, 2024 11:50 AM
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla.—
ABB Optical, a leader in the eyecare services industry, has announced the appointment of Daniel Liberman as chief executive officer, effective Feb. 1. Liberman will assume the role held by Tom Burke, who will become co-chairman of the board of directors. An announcement from ABB Optical stated, "During Tom Burke's five-year tenure as CEO, ABB has gone from the leading contact lens distributor to a full eyecare solutions platform offering ophthalmic laboratory services and practice optimization software."