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 (May 16-22) at a rate of -2 index points. That places gross revenue at a level 4 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 21) when compared with last year and 12 points above 2019. During the beginning of the pandemic, gross revenue had reached a level of 84 points by Week 21 of 2020 as it continued emerging from the pandemic-related low of 14 index points it had reached during Week 15.

BUSINESS METRICS

Optical sales categories were mixed last week. Most categories (gross revenue, exams/refractions, and frame units) decreased at a rate of -2 index points when comparing last week with the previous week. In addition, lens pairs were flat, and contact lenses were up by 1 index point. When comparing last week’s optical sales with the same period last year, categories were both up and down. Up were gross revenue and contact lenses by 4 index points and exams/refractions by 2 index points. Down were frame units and lens pairs by -3 and -2 index points, respectively.

SNAPSHOT

With optical sales mixed last week, only one category remained above an average week in 2019 (the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker). At 108 index points, gross revenue is the only category above that benchmark. The other categories below that benchmark range from lens pairs and frame units at 95 index points to contact lenses and exams/refractions at 92 index points.

*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.