This tracker measures sales trends comparing pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and post-pandemic.

We selected 1,500 optical locations that have been operating and reporting their sales to our partners, GPN and ABB Analyze, since 2019. We re-based the index to an average week in 2019. This new index base will be used as an arbitrary benchmark and assigned a value of 100.

GROSS REVENUE TREND

The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations decreased last week (October 13th – October 19th) when compared with the previous week at a rate of -2 index points. That places gross revenue at a level 9 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 42) when compared with last year (2024), 27 points above the same period in 2023, 27 points above 2022, 38 points above 2021, 30 points above 2020, and 39 points above 2019.

BUSINESS METRICS

Most optical sales categories decreased last week when compared with the previous week, at rates of -2 index points (gross revenue), 1 index point (exams/refractions), -1 index point (frame units), and -5 index points (contact lenses). When comparing last week’s optical sales with the same period last year, most of the categories increased at rates of 9 index points (gross revenue), 7 index points (exams/refractions), 6 index points (frame units), and 0 index points (contact lenses).

Please note: Lens pair data has been removed from this week's tracker. It was recently discovered that this data has been underreported over the past several months due to a methodology error not accounting for optical retail locations switching labs and product descriptions. Once the issue has been corrected, we will re-publish a revised lens pair chart with accurate data, retroactively updated for all weeks of 2025. All other index tracker categories are unaffected by this error and continue to display correct index values.

SNAPSHOT

With most optical sales categories decreasing last week, three of the categories reached a level above an average week in 2019 (the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker). These ranged from a high of 138 index points for gross revenue to a low of 92 index points for contact lenses. The other categories reached 112 index points for exams/refractions and 104 index points for frames units.

*The index baseline was developed by Jobson Research from total sales from an average week in 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 1,500 independent eye care practices.

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

you may also reach out to GPN/EDGEPro and ABB Analyze directly.