Regional Trends in the Optical Market

JUNE 2011

Respondents by Job TitleOD in Solo Practice 25%

OD in Group Practice 15%

OD: Employee of OD or MD 8%

Other OD 8%

Self-employed Dispensing Optician 21%

Dispensing Optician: Employee of OD 14%

Dispensing Optician: Employee of MD 7%

Dispensing Optician: Employee of Retail Corp 6%

Other Dispensing Optician 7%

Regional Breakout

• Northeast: 27%

• South: 28%

• Midwest: 24%

• West: 20%

Sales: Q1 2011 vs. Q1 2010

52 51

56

50

53

2022

15

2220

2827

29 2826

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Up Down Flat

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

Sales: 2010 vs. 2009

47

43

51

46 46

27 28

22

26

33

2628 27 28

21

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Up Down Flat

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

Most Popular Frame TypeMetal is still most popular, but plastics continue to

see the most growth — except in the South — since 2009.

37

41

31

36

40

4647

51

4442

1310

1416

13

42

53 4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Plastic Metal Rimless Other

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

2011

Patient Behavior: Refilling PrescriptionsNew eyewear selection decreased in every region except

the South from 2010 to 2011.

7572

78 76 75

2528

22 24 25

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Select New Eyewear Refill in ExistingFrames

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

2011

Second-pair SalesCasual frame sales grew again in 2011 in every

region but the South.

202222

15

24

686769

6365

5 5 40 0

6 6 79 10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CasualFrame

Sunwear Clips Other

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

2011

Frame PricingECPs continue to ride the wave of the uncertain economy by adding both

lower and higher end options into the mix. The regions showing the biggest shifts were the West and South.

4240

37

43

49

1917

19

24

1315

13

19

1213

25

30

25

21

25

0

5

10

1520

25

30

3540

45

50

Remained theSame

Expanded toInclude HigherPrice Points

Expanded toInclude LowerPrice Points

Expanded toInclude Both

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

2011

Percentage of free-form/digitally produced lenses

2009 2010 2011

Nation 19% 25% 22%

Northeast 18% 25% 18%

South 27% 25% 25%

Midwest 15% 27% 23%

West 17% 22% 21%

Most-used Premium Lens Material

8 75

12

7

26

38

2022

24

42

53 4

16

12

15

23

13

46

39

52

40

51

1 13

0 10

10

20

30

40

50

60

1.6 1.67 1.74 Trivex Polycarbonate Other

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

Most growth seen in 1.67 and Trivex from 2010 to 2011

Most-sold ExtraPolarized lenses saw a dip in sales 2010-2011. Photochromic sales

increased in the NE and decreased in the South. AR continues to be #1 and saw most of its growth in the South.

1 1 2 2 0

20

29

1714

19

1 1 0 2 3

76

69

7882

78

1 03

0 00

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Polarized Photochromic Tints AR Other

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

2011

Edging In-house vs. 2010

1818171920

85

108

11

27

37

28

2219

46

40

45

5151

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

More Less Same NA

Nation

NE

South

MW

West

Presbyopes: Percentage PALs vs. Multifocals

Region % PALs % Multifocals‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11

Nation 68% 69% 71% 27% 28% 27%

Northeast 65% 70% 70% 28% 27% 28%

South 70% 70% 73% 26% 29% 26%

Midwest 72% 69% 73% 26% 27% 24%

West 67% 67% 70% 29% 30% 28%

Fastest Growing Specialty CategoryComputer lenses are by far the fastest growing specialty

category except in the West where kids’ lenses have seen the biggest spike in sales over the past year.

Region Kids Sports Low Computer

Nation 21% 9% 6% 54%

Northeast 11% 10% 4% 62%

South 20% 9% 5% 58%

Midwest 32% 6% 9% 50%

West 22% 11% 8% 49%

Selling Products OnlineThe move to sell products online is slow, with the exception of

contact lenses. 76% of ECPs across the nation do not sell products online. Of that percentage, 27% plan to do so within the next two years. Respondents in the South and West were most likely to start selling products online over

the next two years.

Nation NE South Midwest WestRx Eyewear 2% 1% 1% 4% 4%

Rx Sunwear 2% 0% 1% 5% 4%

Plano Sunwear 5% 2% 3% 8% 8%

Readers 2% 0% 1% 4% 2%

Contact Lenses 21% 16% 23% 26% 18%

Accessories 3% 0% 2% 3% 2%