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NEW YORK—As some states have started reopening select businesses, most remain shut, yet the optical business throughout the U.S. experienced a slight uptick in all but one product/service category last week.
All categories were up nationally except contact lenses:
• Lens pairs +3 index points
• Gross revenue, exams/refractions, and frame units +2 index points
• Contact lenses -1 index point
With many rescheduling appointments for May and some for June or later, ECPs across the country are planning to reopen with safety protocols such as reducing the amount of people in the office at the same time, screening patients for the virus, changing equipment, and providing PPE for both staff and patients, according to Jobson Optical Research’s ongoing Coronavirus ECP Survey.

With nearly all respondents still under stay-at-home restrictions, the survey also revealed that half of those who applied for CARES were already approved. The majority of those who applied for unemployment were approved, but about a quarter are still waiting to hear. Only 22.8 percent of ECPs think their business/practice will survive if they don't reopen sometime in the next two months.

Click to view the COVID19 Practice Performance Tracker for April 28, 2020.