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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 week in 2019.

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 (Aug 15-21) at a rate of -1 index point. That places gross revenue at a level 10 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 34) when compared with last year, 4 points above the same period in 2020, and 9 points above 2019.

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BUSINESS METRICS

All optical sales categories were down last week when compared with the previous week. Most were down only 1 index point (frame units and lens pairs in addition to gross revenue), while contact lenses were down -4 index points, and exams/refractions were down -2 index points. When comparing last week’s optical sales with the same period last year, all optical sales categories were up. Increases ranged from a high of 10 index points for gross revenue to 2 index points for contact lenses. The other categories increased by 4 points (exams/refractions and frame units) and 5 points (lens pairs).

SNAPSHOT

Although all optical sales categories decreased last week, all but one 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 116 index points for gross revenue to a low of 99 index points for contact lenses. The other three categories were slightly higher than the 100-index-point benchmark – frame units at 101, lens pairs at 102, and exams/refractions at 103.

*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.

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