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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jobson Optical Research is tracking national and regional optical business metrics for the U.S.

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

ECP BUSINESS METRICS

As COVID-19 cases increase exponentially, jumping from 10 million to 11 million nationwide over the past week (according to The COVID Tracking Project), optical sales remained primarily flat (for frame units), increasing a negligible 1 index point in three service/product categories (gross revenue, exams/refractions, and lens pairs), and decreasing a negligible -1 index point in contact lens sales.

REGIONAL BREAKOUT

Regionally, most service/product categories showed little change in optical sales in most regions, either remaining flat or increasing by a negligible 1 index point. Contact lens sales were either flat or down (by as much as -3 index points in the West), except in the Northeast, which saw contact lens sales increase by 2 index points. The Northeast was the only region showing slightly more increased sales overall, albeit modest, ranging from 1 index point for exams/refractions and frame units to 3 index points for gross revenue. This corresponds with the Northeast being the only region with two states (Connecticut and Rhode Island) indicating a downward trend of COVID cases, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, at press time. Georgia was the only other state also indicating a downward trajectory of cases. All other states experienced increasing cases of coronavirus.

*The index baseline was developed by Jobson Research from total sales from an average seven days in the first quarter of 2019.This index baseline is equivalent to a score of 100. All other time periods going forward are calculated as a percent increase or decrease from the 100 baseline index of that period. This index is intended to show directional and magnitudinal change that the market is experiencing. Actual index scores are arbitrary meaning the baseline of 100 is simply used as a benchmark. Jobson Research shall not be held liable for any use or misuse of the data described and/or contained herein.

Please note that practices that use practice analytic systems tend to skew a bit larger and have higher revenue than practices that do not.

Source: GPN/EDGEPro and ABB Analyze contributed anonymous sales data used to determine gross revenue, exams/refractions, frame units, lens pairs, and contact lens boxes. Data was collected from approximately 3,500 independent eye care practices.

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Consumer Sentiments

* Percentage of Rx eyewear users that are planning to postpone or cancel their Rx eyewear purchase until conditions are better. "If you need new eyeglasses or contact lenses while COVID-19 is still a threat, which of the following actions are you likely to take?"
** Selected answer option 8, 9 or 10 for the question "On a scale of 1-10 (were 1 = No concern at all and 10 = Extremely concerned) how concerned are you over the recent global COVID-19 threat and outbreak?"

Source: The Vision Council VisionWatch COVID-19 Consumer Sentiment Study.

For additional information, you may reach out to GPN/EDGEPro, ABB Analyze, and The Vision Council directly.

For more information from Jobson Research contact jwaller@jobson.com.