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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

National optical sales were flat for most service/product categories over the course of last week (March 22-28) when compared with the previous week (March 15-21), except exams/refractions and contact lenses, both of which showed slight declines. Exams/refractions were down only -1 index point, while contact lenses were down -3 index points. These minor changes in optical sales occurred while COVID-19 cases are on the rise again throughout the country, with a 7% increase from the previous week, according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker.


REGIONAL BREAKOUT

While most service/product categories were either flat or down in most regions over the course of last week, the Midwest was the one bright spot. All categories in the Midwest (except contact lenses) showed increasing optical sales ranging from 1 index point for exams/refractions to 3 index points for frame units and lens pairs. Contact lenses, however, were down in the Midwest. Contact lens sales declined in all regions, but all at rates smaller than the -4 index points in the Midwest. In fact, this -4 point decline was the largest decrease, with all other declining sales shrinking at smaller rates. All this occurred while about half the states in the country are reporting at least a 10% increase of new cases compared to the previous week, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

*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.

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

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

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