NEW YORK—National optical sales were relatively flat over the course of last week (March 15-21) with only three service/product categories showing any change at all. Exams/refractions were down -2 index points, gross revenue was down -1 index point, frame unit sales were up 1 index point, and sales of lens pairs and contact lenses remained unchanged last week when compared with the previous week (March 8-14), according to Jobson’s Practice Performance Tracker. These optical sales trends occurred as new cases of COVID-19 are on the rise across more than half of the U.S. with the seven-day average up by at least 5 percent in 27 states, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Regionally, optical sales experienced both ups and downs. Optical sales in the Midwest declined the most but only by small amounts, with -3 index points for exams/refractions being the largest decrease for any one category in the region. The South joined the Midwest with a decline of -3 index points for exams/refractions, but it also had increases of 2 index points for frame units and 1 index point for lens pairs.

Optical sales in the Northeast increased by its highest rate of 2 index points over the course of last week in the categories of gross revenue, frame units, and contact lenses. Optical sales in the West varied, ranging from an increase of 1 index point for frame units to -2 index points for exams/refractions.

The Jobson COVID-19 Practice Performance Tracker data is compiled by Jobson Research from GPN/EDGEPro and ABB Analyze data.

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