TSO Network Update -February 2018

February 2018 l 23 #8 THE 2018 PRACTICE What does the typical practice look like as we step into 2018? More than half have annual sales of at least $500,000 . Boomers still fill most of the slots in the appointment book, though Gen X is closing in. Less than 3% of sales come from online/website sales. The frame buyer is likely to purchase mostly midrange frame product, accompanied most often by polycarbonate lenses. For the contact lens patient, monthly disposable contacts are the probable pick. What’s ahead for optical, looking beyond 2018? LENSES: ECPs say sales of PALs and “anti-fatigue/digital device lenses”will increase the most over the next two years. TECH: Measurement apps will become a given. CONTACTS and SUN: In contact lenses, 40% of ECPs believe more patients will be wearing daily disposables over the next year or two. And, in sunwear, the most promising up-and-comer will be blue-light-filtering product. FUTURE FORWARD The key upward-trending optical product categories include: • Digital/blue light products—they even surpass sunwear in some regions. • Polarized sunwear has grown in popularity over the past two years, according to 82% of ECPs. • High-end frames are big, especially in the Northeastern U.S. • Premium PALs account for 57% of ECPs’ progressive lens revenue. • AR coatings are now recommended to all patients by 87% of ECPs. • Equipment that is eco-friendly is important to 81% of practices. • Advanced tech earns an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of importance. 2018’s HOT PRODUCTS Article reprinted from Eyecare Business, Volume: 32, Issue: January 2018, page(s): 66-68, 70