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 3-YEAR TREND

The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations decreased last week (March 14-20) at a rate of -1 index point. That places gross revenue at a level 5 index points below where it was at this point in time (Week 12) last year. However, 2022 gross revenue is far above (43 points) where it was for Week 12 during 2020 (the beginning of the pandemic) and also above (9 points) where it was for Week 12 during 2019.

BUSINESS METRICS

All optical sales categories were either flat or down last week. While frame units and lens pairs remained flat when comparing last week with the previous week (March 7-13), the other categories decreased at rates ranging from -3 index points for contact lenses to -1 index point for both gross revenue and exams/refractions.

SNAPSHOT

Although all optical sales were either flat or down last week, three of five categories are above an average week in 2019 (the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker). Exams/refractions (at 99 index points) and contact lenses (at 93 index points) are both below the 100-point index benchmark, while frame units (103), lens pairs (104), and gross revenue (112) are above that level.

*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.