By Marge Axelrad
Editorial Director

  What do you see and how do you see it?
What’s happening and what will it mean?
In 20 years, Vision Monday has carved its role in the optical industry community by attempting to answer those questions, reporting, analyzing and chronicling literally thousands of stories, photos and special reports. We cover a field that touches the lives of every American, a business that blends science and strategy, art and fashion, economics and competition.
In two decades, the vision care industry has been transformed, day by day, year by year, as professionals, retailers, designers and developers have found new ways to cater to a fundamental thing -- providing the products and services and educated advice that help people see better and look good doing it.
The business is big, and has virtually doubled in that time, now accounting for some $27 billion in revenues, according to Jobson Research/VCA VisionWatch estimates. That number reflects the increased value of eye care exams and refractions, the higher value of products and the wider scope of the consumers and patients that use its services.
What changed? And more importantly, what does the future hold?
We start our anniversary year of special reports with this one that reflects our perspective on key events with those of 20 industry leaders, a fraction of those, we acknowledge, among our readers who are involved participants and agents of that change.
One way to look at the 20-year landscape is in terms of the players and the competition. Traditional optometry and opticianry were joined by commercial retailers just a few years before Vision Monday began publishing news regularly in 1987. So some of our stories cover those developments and how they influence today’s business.
Another way is to trace change through the style and technology of products, programs and strategies for distributing those via eye care professionals and optical retailers.
And then we reach into the field of vision correction itself. From eyeglasses to contact lenses to refractive surgery and disease management, options are developing that were mere kernels of ideas 20 years ago, sped along by engineers and designers, doctors and marketers into this 21st century.
This is a start. We’ll delve deeper as the year goes on. As always, we welcome your insights.
--with contributions from Andrew Karp, Cathy Ciccolella and Mary Kane

For a look at the entire anniversary article, click here to download it.
You will need Adobe Adobe Reader to view the file.

20 Trends in 20 Years
1. The Optical Chain Revolution--perspective by Dave Pierson, President
and CEO,Refac OpticalGroup
2. The Rise of Direct-Sellers and Designer Brands--perspective by Al
Berg, CEO, Marchon Eyewear
3. Advances in Ophthalmic Lenses Since 1987--perspective by Mike Daley,
President, Essilor Lenses
4. The Evolution of the Modern OD--perspective by Jack Schaeffer, OD,
President, Schaeffer Eye Center
5. The Effect of Managed Vision Care--perspective by Rob Lynch, President
and CEO, Vision Service Plan
6. Sunwear Soars--perspective by Claudio Gottardi, Co-CEO,Safilo Group
7. The Impact of Wal-Mart and Other Mass Merchants--perspective by Reade
Fahs, President and CEO, National Vision
8. Advances in Lens Processing Technology--perspective by Larry Clarke,
President, SatislohNorth America
9. The Refractive Surgery Option--perspective by Michael Lange, OD,
President,Lange Eye Institute
10. ODs Explore New Business Models--perspective by Ken Hollis, OD,
President, Doctor’s Vision Center
11. The Wholesale Lab Business Consolidates--perspective by Barney
Dougher, President, Hoya Visioncare North America
12. The Vertically Integrated Retailer--perspective by Kerry Bradley,
COO, Luxottica Retail
13. Continuing Education Grows for ECPs--perspective by Carl Moore,
President, Primary EyecareNetwork
14. The Resilience of Independent Labs--perspective by John Art,
President, Interstate Optical
15. The Rise of Women in Leadership Roles--perspective by Diana Hall,
President, Bard Optical
16. Independent Opticians Tackle New Challenges--perspective by Bob
Stratton, Owner, Chester County Opticians
17. High-End Boutiques Flourish--perspective by Norman Childs President,
Eyetique
18. The Emergence of Modern Buying Groups--perspective by Michael Block,
President, Block Buying Group
19. In-office Lens Finishing Evolves from Art to Science--perspective by
Gerard Santinelli, President, Santinelli International
21. Contact Lenses Take Off --perspective by A. Thomas Bender. Chairman,
President, CEO, The Cooper Cos.