Usa: prescription eyeglass market shows moderate rebound

In October, for the first time in four months, the Vca Consumer Barometer survey indicated that consumers are more eager to purchase prescription eyewear, which accounts for around 60 percent of the total market.

The biggest contributors for the increasing demand of prescription eyewear include: contact lenses and prescription eyeglasses. The demand for contact lenses bounced back in October 2004; Vca recorded a 2.5 percent increase in purchasing plans for contact lenses for month of October, following a decline in September.

Consumers' eagerness to purchase eyeglasses has been fluctuating in small increments for five consecutive months. October marks a 1.5 percent increase from last month.

The prescription sunglass market remains almost flat. The market records a 0.1 percent decline from last month. On a year-to-year comparison, the market has not dramatically changed since 2003.