Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 23+24
Essilux takes a local approach to the Chinese smart glasses market | EssilorLuxottica wearables chief steps down amid tensions at Delfin | ZEISS leverages vision care synergies in smart eyewear, ophthalmology | Fast-growing Lenskart sees huge whitespace in domestic market | National Vision outlines path to high-single-digit sales growth, margin expansion | Inspecs takeover talks extended with current highest bid at £85m | Afflelou network sales up 5% in FY2025 | Strong Q3 sales growth for Synsam despite Denmark subscriptions slump | Mister Spex resumes store expansion as bottom line takes a lighter shade of red | Paris Miki main stakeholder to delist the company through an MBO | Alcon Q3 CL sales grow 6%, sees STAAR deal as attractive but not essential | Solid vision care sales and new SDC global HQ for Mitsui Chemicals group | GlassesUSA.com operator launches multi-brand luxury eyewear webshop | Essilux backs Stellest 2.0 claims with new peer-reviewed study, joins CCOI | MICROOLED smart eyewear business taken over by former CEO and founder
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 21+22
Lenskart’s 240x earnings valuation raises some eyebrows | EssilorLuxottica posts record growth in Q3 as wearables boom comes with side benefits | Fielmann reports higher margins, 4% Q3 sales hike despite Germany slowdown | National Vision raises guidance again as sales momentum continues in Q3 | Warby Parker moderates 2025 sales growth guidance, pitches ‘third act’ of innovation | HOYA reports fast topline growth but lower margins | Kering reports progress in Q3, stresses eyewear is a core asset after beauty unit sale | Safilo reports solid margin gains on mixed regional sales | Marcolin posts strong Q3 ahead of VSP Vision takeover | Private equity firms look at Inspecs takeover, Safilo too but only for some assets | Investor pressures Inspecs for sum-of-the-parts deal | Modo gets $100m cash injection | Bausch + Lomb Q3 contact lens sales rise by 8%, evaluates potential deal with Cooper | French consumers spent €8.3bn on eyeglasses and contact lenses last year | Eye care and telemedicine in France: a case study | Topcon launches global oculomics platform, bolsters Harmony in Europe | Essilux makes Stellest smart, expands scope to not yet myopic children | Aspiring smart-glasses producer raises $250m | Optiswiss accelerates its international development | EssilorLuxottica launches new B2B event with focus on innovations | Ultracheap Blacksheep flagship store to open at Paris’ BHV – except not | Allsides set to open NY flagship as it expands capacity, fine-tunes scanner technology
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 19+20
Italian H1 eyewear down 4% as Europe, China and others partially offset US collapse | Giorgio Armani leaves instructions for the sale of his group | Eyewear stock prices up 11% in Q3 | Essilux becomes Nikon’s largest shareholder, gets up-to-20% greenlight | Meta introduces three products, hints at return to another | Amazon to join the AR glasses fray | Fielmann details 2030 strategic plan at Capital Markets Day | ZEISS Vision Care invests in Fielmann-owned teleophthalmology platform | 1.2m subscribers and 90 new stores among Synsam Group’s midterm targets update | Specsavers’ operating margin stable at around 8% | Hakim Group increased door count by over 30% in 2024 | Capital increase to enable Multiópticas to expand | Kering Eyewear and Valentino sign eyewear license as parent companies reframe acquisition deal | Silmo Paris doubles down on technology | Silmo Futurology round-up – Part one | Silmo Futurology round-up – Part two | Silmo d’Or awards remitted at the show | IXI ramps up autofocus glasses supply chain | Team in Taiwan claims breakthrough in autofocals | Topcon Healthcare steps into mental health diagnosis with new investment | iVision Tech steps up smart glass rollout | Inspecs posts weak H1 results, appoints new non-executive Chair | Japan’s top retailer builds ‘open factory’ to tackle procurement issues and ‘transmit the joy of craftsmanship’ | JEH slows down as inbound tourists’ buying spree subsides | JINS strong momentum driven by price mix effects, network expansion | NPO GoodVision has sold 1m low-priced glasses to people in need, building up local supply chains along the way
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 17+18
VSP Vision acquires Marcolin | Essilux ups stake in Nikon again, but further steps will require Japan’s green light | Ray-Ban Meta drives 110% jump in global smart glasses shipment, AI polarization | Meta to release commercial AR glasses by September? | “It seems the industry is ripe for change,” Flō Optics CEO | A closer look under Lenskart’s hood | Fielmann enters new HQ on a strong footing | Mixed results in Q2 for Synsam Group | All eyes on margins at Mister Spex as sales nosedive | Warby Parker upgrades outlook after strong Q2, ends home try-on service as door count hits 300 | Price hikes, sales mix boost National Vision in Q2, largely offsetting slightly lower consumer traffic | TVC sees potential link between latest US eyewear purchase trends and tariffs uncertainty | Zoff owner doubles doorcount to 620 with M&A deal | TRIVEX more resistant than polycarbonate, PPG and HOYA research shows | Conant reports 11% sales hike in H1, invests in automated lines and smart eyewear lenses | CooperVision slows down in Q3 despite strong EMEA showing | Alcon’s contact lens sales jump 9% in Q2 | US tele-optometry kiosks startup gets $20m cash injection | Arts Optical hit by US tariffs double whammy in H1
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 15+16
10% CAGR forecast to bring Fielmann’s topline up to €4bn by 2030 | Essilux maintains strong topline growth in H1 but tariffs and wearables slightly dilute margins | Essilux acquires producer of lens monomers | Essilux acquires lens inspection expert A&R | HOYA posts 11% increase in Q1 eyeglass lens revenue, discusses smart glasses strategy | Lenskart files for IPO, acquires a Spanish DTC sunglass brand | Lenskart revenues up 17% for FY25 | Italy Q1 eyewear exports fall 1.5% as industry braces for higher US tariffs | Kering reports flattish Q2 sales and slightly lower H1 margins for Kering Eyewear | Safilo Group topline slightly down but margins reach record highs | Marcolin maintains margins on flattish sales as EMEA becomes sole growth engine | Trump‘s tariffs - A timeline (excerpt) | Italian eyewear industry warns companies risk survival with hefty US tariffs | Unclear US ‘Transshipping’ tariff rate scope keeps Vietnam on its toes | Half of eyewear companies’ stocks fully recovered since US ’reciprocal tariffs’ announcement | Meta takes 3% share in Essilux – with more to come? | China’s e-tail giant to produce smart glasses | Inflation keeps driving the Brazilian optical market as eyeglasses volumes drop | Large-scale and “real-life” French study confirms Miyosmart and Stellest efficiency | New five-year plan at Groupement Optic 2000 | Brand building, distribution and portfolio expansion keep Izipizi in the fast lane
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 13+14
Specsavers FY2024-25 growth largely driven by the UK as most other markets stagnate | German optical market up on sales mix and inflation as volumes inch further down | Spanish optical market up 3% in 2024 despite flattish lens sales | Inflation more than offset volume drops in the US optical market ahead of Trump tariffs roll out | France social security to partly refund Hoya’s Miyosmart lens | ZEISS Vision Care enters ortho-k category with acquisition in Asia | Kering Eyewear acquires Lenti from Safilo | DEG takes over MENRAD’s house brand and three license deals | AKN Group acquires Götti and Eyetech | Afflelou Group Q3 sales up 5.7%, driven by France | E-commerce software group enters the DACH optical retail market | EssilorLuxottica keeps retail expansion focus on APAC with new acquisition | Delfin shareholders reportedly seek exclusive focus on Essilux investment | Next brand to receive Meta tech is Oakley | Smart glasses from Xiaomi, or eyewear as consumer electronics | Snap to make second entry into consumer market for smart glasses | Rokid’s new AR glasses incorporate a payment system | Vision Expo switches to a shorter single annual event format with rotating locations from 2026 | Arts Optical reports flattish ODM sales in H2, expects ‘very tough’ US business in 2025 | An advance in electric contact lenses?
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 11+12
EssilorLuxottica enters eye surgery field with new med-tech acquisition | EssilorLuxottica to increase its lens capacity in France by 40% with new industrial site | Google kicks off smart glasses platform with multiple eyewear partnerships, including investment in Warby Parker | ZEISS Vision Care sales decelerate in H1 as key markets come under pressure | Topcon reports 9% annual eye care sales increase ahead of delisting | US-China tariffs climbdown provides ‘breathing room’ but uncertainties loom large | Safilo returns to growth in Q1, details supply chain adjustments | Marcolin aims for greater supply chain control, reports positive Q1 results | National Vision raises guidance, says well-positioned to mitigate tariff impact | Warby Parker cuts growth expectations as it raises prices, shuffles production to offset tariff blow | Menrad Germany to close after over 125 years of business | Inspecs Group rejects shareholder proposal to replace Robin Totterman as company director | Hakim Group gets more private equity support | Synsam slows down stores opening pace to ‘recalibrate growth and profitability’ | Mister Spex finds first positive signs of turnaround program in Q1 margins while revenue drops 13% | Aerial Vision invests in ‘plug-and-play’ eyewear e-commerce startup | Mitsui: firm demand for high-index lens material to keep driving vision care sales in FY25/26 | As wearers base stagnates, sales mix and price hikes drive the European contact lens market | CooperVision downgrades revenue outlook for fiscal 2025 as CL market slows down | Price hikes and dailies drove Menicon’s growth in fiscal 2024-25 | A declining customer base and increased costs weigh on Paris Miki’s performance | Italy’s ANFAO inaugurates ‘Lens of Time’ exhibit | Italy’s centuries-long eyewear tradition on display in Venice | Trump’s tariffs – A timeline
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 9+10
EssilorLuxottica to turn eyewear into a service and frames into ‘real estate,’ shareholders ear | EssilorLuxottica adds price hikes to US tariffs mitigation arsenal, reports strong Q1 performance | Amazon-backed autofocus glasses startup raises $36m, aims for distribution in the ECP channel | PPG Optical grows with legacy products and innovations, looks for more sustainable processes | HOYA reports positive Q4 results, discusses general strategy, US tariffs | Zeiss tests e-commerce model with partner ECPs in India | Fielmann Group share price jumps on strong Q1 and FY2025 outlook | Kering Eyewear revenue growth slows down to 2% in Q1 | Kering Eyewear builds up in-house supply chain in Belluno | The Vision Council highlights change in US customs tactics, analyzes supply chain scenarios | Eyewear stocks down by 2% in Q1, and by 10% since April 2 | US tariffs turnaround brings the sector some relief but raises questions on spillover effects, ‘de-risking’ policies | US administration focus on transshipments calls for higher vigilance on goods’ country of origin | How will US consumers react to higher eyewear price tags? | Mixed feelings in Fukui over “Made in Japan” eyewear amid export surge | Aiming for critical mass, Groupe Héron plans to almost double sales by 2030 | European market softness weighs on Inspecs FY2024 results | Menrad Germany files for insolvency | Conant Optical revenue and profit up sharply in 2024 on volume and price mix effects | A high-end complement to the Ray-Ban Meta? | Google and Samsung to release their own smart glasses and platform | Antitrust suit threatens Meta’s revenues, perhaps R&D | Debate on eyeglasses reimbursements heats up again in France | UK parents confused over children’s eye care, survey says | iVision Tech sales jump amid M&A
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 7+8
China, Mexico and beyond; the US optical sector braces for Trump tariff storm | Topcon seeks to move from a hardware-based to a solutions-based business after ownership change | Fielmann 2024 sales up 15% on organic growth and US add-on, margins also up | Safilo confirms FY 2024 results, provides more details on segment and regional performance | Marcolin improves margins on slightly declining sales | Visottica forges close-knit relations with customers and expands into new industries | Multiparty closed-loop waste recycling program for luxury eyewear kicks off in Italy | CooperVision posts 6% Q1 revenue growth, driven by the Americas amid EMEA and APAC slowdown | With close to 100 new stores in 2024, KRYS GROUP consolidates its market leadership in France | France drove Q2 revenue 3% uptick for Afflelou but Spain grew at a faster pace | Optic 2000 revenue flattish in 2024 | Mister Spex expects discount detox and repositioning to start paying off in 2025 | Sustained growth in the Polish eyewear market partly driven by e-commerce boom | Annual ‘smart glasses’ market expected to grow to 17m units by 2029, research finds | Vuzix beefs up capacity and tech in anticipation of expected smart eyewear takeoff | Kits Eyecare posts strong sales growth and higher margins for Q4 and FY | JEH forecasts 68% revenue growth by 2030 after strong FY 2025 | TOG sales inch up in Q4, solid FY growth driven by Americas, RX business | Optometry on the decline in Spain
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 5+6
EssilorLuxottica ends solid year with Q4 acceleration | Essilux to ramp up Ray-Ban Meta annual capacity to 10m pairs | Italian eyewear exports edge down in 2024, industry looks to recovery in H2 | MIDO announces 9% attendance increase to 42,000 visitors | Kering Eyewear reports solid Q4, outperforms group in annual revenue growth and profitability | De Rigo sales rise 7% as high-end brands shine | Hoya reports 5% Health Care Q3 sales uptick, starts myopia control lens trial in the US | ZEISS launches new connected eye care service and screening device | Mitsui builds new MR factory to tap growing high-index lens demand | Flō Optics ready to “disrupt the ophthalmic industry” after $35m cash injection | Warby Parker expects sales momentum to continue, unveils Target partnership | Synsam posts double-digit Q4 growth, hits record Ebit in full year | National Vision remains in the red in Q4, aims for more managed care business | Zoff sales and margins significantly up in FY24 | Bausch + Lomb sees double-digit contact lens sales growth, developing biomimetic lens | Menicon modest Q3 growth driven by price revisions | Electronics blue light specialist steps into eyewear, aims to establish new standards | Eyewear consumers seek value for money, digital channel gains importance but stores resilient | Study looks at eyewear VTO usage and perception in France and the US | Opti hails 2025 success, announces earlier dates for 2026
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 3+4
Amazon enters the prescription eyewear segment in Germany | Sector market capitalization up 20% last year, boosted by Essilux | ZEISS looks for innovation in product, processes and business models to support commitment to global eye health | A look at myopia management in Europe with ECOO | Meta developing smart glasses for Oakley – among other things | To see or not to see? Rokid seeks a middle way between AR and VR | Safilo topline slipped below the €1bn mark in 2024, but margins slightly improved | National Vision reports improved performance in Q4, reshuffles top management | Kits CEO: ‘We are building an eyewear business for the customer of tomorrow’ | Seaport-ODLM banks on portfolio diversification to boost export business | Switching to a direct distribution model, Revo announces several appointments in Europe | Laclarée could have commercial autofocals next year, thanks to seed round | UK eye care health sector creates new online hub to predict disease, staffing trends | French NPO takes deep dive in ophthalmic lenses and eyewear frames’ carbon emissions | New report looks at US frames buyers criteria and habits | Vision Expo East presents show novelties, program ahead of first Florida edition
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 26 - No 1+2
ZEISS Group reports 8% revenue hike but lower margins for fiscal 2023/24 | Carl Zeiss Meditec posts revenue and margin declines for fiscal 2023/24 | HOYA acquires Deutsche Augenoptik | EssilorLuxottica’s M&A program gets an early start into the new year | CooperVision forecasts further market share gains in FY 2025 | Bausch Health confirms it is exploring Bausch + Lomb sale | The Americas and Europe keep driving TOG’s sales growth | Eyecare industry urges UK gov’t to allow more private sector involvement in primary health provision | The Baltic eyewear market rebounds, but long-term outlook is vague | Familiar faces at the CES Awards for 2025 | Bliz Eyewear launches rebranding after EssilorLuxottica takeover | How brick-and-mortar focus and vertical integration are driving JEH profitability | ‘We try to be responsible’ | iVision Tech launches smart glasses for visually impaired | Sun Hing loss widens in H1 despite solid ODM sales
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 23+24
Volume and price effects propel the French optical market over the €8 billion mark, report says | Japan optical retail market value inch up on cautious price hikes | US consumers increasingly opt for budget eyewear in stores, survey finds | Safilo keeps focus on margins as sales slump persists | Marcolin sales still down despite EMEA Q3 rebound, 9M margins slightly up | Thélios to invest in MYKITA | Alain Afflelou posts revenue and margin upticks for FY2024 but debt swells further | Solid but slower revenue growth and pressured margins for Synsam in Q3 | Mister Spex new management hails rebranding initial results in “transition quarter” | Warby Parker raises guidance again as sales momentum continues | National Vision to close 39 stores, moderate new store growth after lackluster Q3 | KITS Eyecare reports higher profit ratios and 34% revenue hike for Q3 | Lenskart close to break-even as revenue jumps 43% in FY2024 | Eyewa gets $100 million cash injection, plans to open 100 new stores in the Middle East next year | MIDO announces upgrades and changes for its 2025 edition | Ray-Ban Meta inspiring competition | Zoff first public financial results show double-digit growth pace and higher margins | iVision Tech parent company’s eyewear business sales jump 28% in Q3
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 21+22
Solid organic growth and US acquisitions keep Fielmann in double-digit growth gear | HOYA Life Care business returns to growth in Q2, confirming IT incident recovery | Zeiss Vision Care to cut production, staff at German plant | ZEISS appoints SMT unit director as next CEO | Essilux Q3 topline up 2% as EMEA and APAC slow down slightly | Nikon stock value jumps on Essilux 5% stake news | Despite a slight slowdown in Q3, Kering Eyewear remains a bright spot for the group | Italian eyewear industry “strong and resilient” amid market slowdown | Industry stocks inched up in Q3, driven by contact lens companies | Hakim Group maintained strong momentum in 2023 | French opticians’ association challenges health insurances’ proxy on optical network tender call | A look at tele-medicine services, new lenses and measurement tools presented at Silmo 2024 | Topcon reports slight eye care sales hike, invests in Ocumetra | JINS revenue up double digit in FY 2024, driven by price mix | Japanese optical retail chain goes public | Zenni, Eyebot using automation to remove eye-test obstacles | Apple to turn AirPods into hearing aids | iVisionTech diversifies into auto sector with purchase of 45% stake in Molex Zetronic | 100% Optical trade show changes hands | Essilux backs chief strategy officer Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio amid hacking probe | “The last thing we want to be is a product for geeks,” Morrow Eyewear CEO
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 19+20
Essilux and Meta announce long-term partnership | Meta advances Ray-Ban Meta, introduces Orion | Latest Spectacles from Snap not yet a product | SILMO Paris back to cruising speed with an increased focus on new tech | Silmo reports slight attendance increase, celebrates Silmo d’Or 30th anniversary | Italian eyewear exports fall in Q2, sector’s full year showing seen in line with 2023 | Specsavers profitability keeps declining | New alliance in the Middle East optical retail sector | Rodenstock to repurpose main German site as engineering center and transfer lens production to Czech plant | ZEISS invests in light field display technology startup with vision care platform in mind | Innovation, digitization, sustainability and selective retail on 60 year-old Silhouette’s agenda | MYKITA signs unexpected partnership with an LVMH brand | Inspecs topline down 5% in H1, rebound expected in H2 | Hong Kong-based Icare to open eyewear factory in France | Price reductions and Southeast Asian competition pressure Arts Optical ODM business | Japanese upmarket retail group JEH shows no signs of slowing down | The Vision Council reports on ‘Made in the USA’ | Blenders makes it to ‘Prime Time’
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 17+18
US business propels Fielmann topline over €1 billion in H1 while price mix effects bolster margin gains | Mister Spex to close all international stores under new restructuring plan | Synsam posts record earnings in Q2 | National Vision downgrades outlook after mixed Q2, announces stores fleet review and new president | Warby Parker upgrades FY outlook again on good Q2 results but bottom line remains in the red | Tokai looks to expand commercial and industrial footprint outside Japan | Zeiss survey shows parents’ high level of concern about their children eye health | Fast-growing Thai Optical Group to increase RX capacity by 25% | Conant H1 sales jump 18%, plans new production plant in Thailand | Neurolens says it can increase reading speed | CooperVision upgrades FY outlook again as topline momentum continues | Ukraine eyewear market partly bounces back amid ongoing challenges | Snap, Meta to reveal AR glasses | Aerial Vision buys 5.3% of iVision Tech, becomes a strategic partner | Kits Eyecare revenue up 26% in Q2
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 15+16
Essilux mixes med-tech and streetwear in shopping basket | Essilux posts solid Q2 results, answers questions on Supreme, Meta | Meta reportedly in discussion to take a 5% stake in Essilux | HOYA temporarily puts life care unit topline recovery over bottom line target | Kering Eyewear outperforms group in both revenue growth and profitability in H1 | Safilo topline down 3.1% in Q2 as EMEA slows down, but margins keep improving | Marcolin posts higher margin ratios on declining sales in H1 | Fielmann posts double-digit sales increase and higher profit ratios in H1 | Mister Spex founder and CEO steps down, former Luxottica manager takes key role | Private equity fund about to invest in Lunettes Pour Tous | The new reality of the Russian eyewear market | Brazilian optical retail market value up 5% in 2023 | A majority of stock listed eyewear companies saw their share value decline in Q2 | The Vision Council reviews Q2 in the US | Sun Hing progress in Asia offsets sales drop in key markets but gross margin takes a hit
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 13+14
Double-digit growth puts Specsavers above the £4 bn annual revenue mark | Fielmann more than doubles US retail footprint with new acquisition | Most top industry players maintained momentum last year, but frames companies slowed down | Spanish optical market up by 6.0 percent in 2023 | Backed by new investor, Vision Group aims for more acquisitions | Afflelou sales up 5 percent in Q3 | Multiópticas changes its corporate structure | New brand aims to revolutionize shape-memory eyewear with versatile proprietary technology | Mitsui expects return to growth for vision care unit sales in FY 2024 | Essilor, MicroOLED developing AR, with EU help | Google takes a seat at AR Alliance’s board, alongside Meta, Essilux and others | Zuckerberg on smartglasses and AI | SILMO Paris invites ECPs to grasp new technologies and reinvent the shop experience | J.F. REY new owners look to balance brand DNA and changes while navigating supply chain issues | Kirk & Kirk turns to crowfunding for marketing budget boost | Increased production capacity supports Menicon’s sales growth, weighs on profitability | French company offers quick 3D-printed substitute frames
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 11+12
German optical market slightly positive in 2023 despite declining volumes | Hoya reports 3% lens-revenue growth in Q4, expects flattish sales in 2024 following cyberattack | ZEISS Consumer Markets segment up 5% in H1 | ZEISS Vision Care publishes results of myopia control research on Asian and Caucasian children | Stable revenue and margins for Rodenstock in 2023 | Safilo Q1 revenues inch down as momentum in Europe fails to fully offset North American decline | Marcolin posts higher margins on lower sales in Q1, discloses more details on fiscal 2023 | Double-digit revenue growth and enhanced mix yielded higher profitability for De Rigo in 2023 | Synsam Group driven by Sweden and subscription plans in Q1 | Mixed Q1 results for Mister Spex as sales of prescription glasses decline slightly | Walgreens hoping to divest Boots in the UK | Warby Parker raises guidance after sales jump 16% in Q1 | National Vision accelerates remote eye exams following tepid Q1 comparable sales growth | Vision Council switches 2024 US market forecast to “growth” after positive Q1 | CVI upgrades outlook again as increased capacity kicks in | Price hikes and sunglasses drove Paris Miki’s growth in FY 03/2024 | Topcon looks outside the core ophthalmic sector | Topcon topline driven by “blossoming” Screening Business and currencies | Carl Zeiss Meditec revenue and margins down in H1 | Arts Optical posts 5% annual revenue growth on OEM business rebound in H2
Eyewear Intelligence: Vol 25 - No 9+10
Fielmann banks on US business and vision care services for mid-term growth | Fielmann sales up double digits in Q1 as US business integration offset European slowdown | US sun business sole exception to EssilorLuxottica’s smooth sailing in Q1 | Kering Eyewear stands out with 8% Q1 revenue hike as group topline slips | US startup picks eyewear market as launch pad for infinitely recyclable plastic material | Revenues up 5% at Optic 2000 Group | Inspecs posts flattish 2023 sales after Q4 drop, but profit ratios improved | New owner for Nexeye retail group | Hinge specialist OBE Präzision adds Vietnam to industrial base, invests in smart eyewear and 3D printing | Disposable daily CLs momentum slowed down in 2023 in Europe, survey shows | Assistance, design key drivers in eyewear purchases | Study suggests readers could ease poverty | Slight average eyewear stocks price hike in Q1 reflects extreme ups and downs | Vuzix losses pile up as AR smart glasses take-off takes its time