Usa: lens prices trend upward

According to Vision Council of America members' lens shipments, in the third quarter of 2003 the overall average price of lenses is nearly 20 percent higher than three years ago. The price advancement was largely driven by single-vision lenses. Single-vision lenses may be the most inexpensive style, yet the prices of these lenses recorded the fastest growth at more than 20 percent from the year 2000.

Among the different materials, the average price of poly lenses had gone up by as much as 31 percent from three years back. Polycarbonate lenses are now the most sought after lens materials as they have continued to establish dominance in the market based both on volume and overall share. By the end of third quarter, polycarbonate shipments increased by 3 percent as compared to the previous year, while market share soared to 35 percent.