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NEW YORK—The U.S. experienced substantial declines in optical sales across the board for the last week tracked (Dec. 21-27) in all service/product categories, according to the Jobson COVID-19 Practice Performance Tracker. The downturn, attributed to the Christmas holiday, ranged from -21 index points for contact lenses to -30 index points for gross revenue. The other three categories declined at rates of -27 index points for frame units, -28 index points for lens pairs, and -29 index points for exams/refractions.

Regionally, optical sales in the Northeast declined the least amount when compared with the three other census regions over the last seven days tracked (Dec. 21-27). While decreases in optical sales hovered around -30 index points for most service/product categories (except contact lenses) in the South, Midwest, and West, the Northeast declined at rates hovering around -20 index points.

For all regions, contact lenses fared the best, declining at rates ranging from -12 index points in the Northeast to -24 index points in the South.

The Jobson COVID-19 Practice Performance Tracker data is compiled by Jobson Research from GPN and ABB Analyze data. Another element of the report illustrates Consumer Sentiments about the COVID-19 response and purchasing intentions, with data supplied by The Vision Council. 

This index baseline was developed by Jobson Research from total sales from an average 7 days in the first quarter of 2019.

Click here to view the complete Jobson COVID-19 Performance Tracker