NEW YORK— Following an uptick in August, independent ECPs’ attitudes about business declined in September to be the lowest of the year, according to the latest edition of Jobson Optical Research’s Optical Business Barometer (OBB) which is designed to gauge the optical business trends of eyecare professionals at independent optical locations.

The OBB is a monthly survey of a representative sample of independent optical retailers (single locations and groups of no more than three locations). Conducted online by Jobson Optical Research, the OBB is designed to measure attitudes of independent eyecare professionals about the current business climate and outlook. The OBB is based on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is “very negative”, 3 is “neutral” and 5 is “very positive.”

Compared to the previous month, respondents’ attitudes toward business decreased for September 2010 at an Index of 3.3 compared to the August 3.7 score. Previously, the May and June score at 3.4 had represented the lower recorded rating of the year. The OBB started in January when the Index was at 3.6. February’s OBB Index score of 3.5 was slightly lower and steady with July. August shares results with March as the highest Index scoring months this year. April’s score decreased to 3.6.

Independent optical retailers’ sentiments about how they anticipate business will fare for the next six months for the overall optical business remained steady with August at 3.5, but down from July’s score of 3.6, per the Barometer. The OBB June report was also 3.5 while the score for January through May remained highest at 3.7.

Independents' sentiments regarding eyeglasses and contact lenses, having risen in both July and August, declined to 3.3. Sentiments toward eye exams fell slightly less to reach 3.4.

The findings of the OBB are similar to those in the Consumer Confidence Index from the Conference Board according to Jobson Research. That report showed that confidence in the economy fell to 48.5 for September. This is a decrease of 4.7 points from August’s score of 53.2, up from 51.0 in July. The Index had steadily increased for March, April and May, then declined sharply in both June and July to stand at 54.3 and 51.0 respectively, down from the year’s highest score of 62.7 in May.

Comparably, the National Federation of Independent Business' (NFIB), Index of Small Business Optimism for September increased to 89.0, up 0.2 points from 88.8 in August. The August result had been an improvement since the score dropped in both June and July. Look for the latest OBB results from Jobson Optical Research to be posted in the middle of each month on www.visionmonday.com.

Want to know more? The full Optical Business Barometer tracks the sentiment of eyeglass and contact lens sales as well as exam numbers and breaks out the numbers based on region, profession, age, location emphasis and more among independent eyecare professionals. To learn more about the full report, contact Jennifer Zupnick at (212) 274-7164.