(PRESS RELEASE) ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Vision Council has released the results of the January 2021 Eyecare Provider Insights Survey. The Vision Council fielded the survey to the organization’s panel of more than 1,700 eyecare providers during the last week of January. The survey, which will be conducted on an ongoing basis to track the state of the optical market, asked respondents to provide insight about how business conditions — including number of eye exams and eye exam scheduling and follow-through, capture rate, revenue, staffing and telehealth use—compare to a typical month, pre-pandemic. The survey also asked respondents for their insights on their economic outlook for 2021.
To download the January 2021 Eyecare Provider Insights Report, visit The Vision Council’s Research Download Center, here.
“The results from January indicate that the pandemic is still having a significant impact on optometry practices and optical retailers,” said Alysse Henkel, Director of Research Data and Analytics at The Vision Council. “With most providers reporting that revenue is down compared to a typical January, practices likely will need to continue to adapt their services and optimize their business operations. When patients do come in for exams, capture rates remain strong, which is an encouraging indicator especially if patient volume increases as more patients are vaccinated and reschedule exams they may have postponed or canceled in previous months.”
Key takeaways from the report include:
- Patient volume (exam counts) was still depressed in January: 57% of providers report the number of exams as below normal, consistent with the recent trends of November and December.
- Capture rate continues to be strong: 55% of providers report their capture rate is normal or better than a typical January.
- Telehealth adoption is still growing: 17% of providers said their telehealth use increased from last month.
- Respondents show signs of hope for the future: 45% of owners believe business conditions will get better in 3–6 months.
- Overall, practices are still suffering the effects of the pandemic: 60% of providers report revenue is down compared to a typical January and 30% of owners report a reduction in staff from last month.
For more information on The Vision Council’s research, and for member access to the latest reports, visit The Vision Council’s Research Download Center, here.