​I love the fresh start of any New Year and the chance to celebrate with changes is a unique opportunity I’ve cherished in all of my years in publishing. “New” can always depend on media when it comes to putting on a fresh face with a blend of all things jazzed up and energized. Stepping into my third decade at 20/20, THIS is the medium that keeps me young at heart and focused on “our” shared vision for the future of this opti-sphere in which we all revolve and evolve.

Let’s set the scene via some references to VisionWatch from The Vision Council as noted while reading my VMail this morning from Vision Monday (and, by the way, VMail is my daily EyeOpener every morning, and I’m hoping it’s yours too AFTER a quick look at the posts from 2020mag’s Facebook page!) Our precious optical arena was basically flat for 2017 with an ever-so-slight leak downward of 0.1 percent on total revenue. The Independent side of the optical equation continues to be the largest component of the vision care industry in America, and it even gained a bit, up 0.7 percent generating $18.44 billion in revenue.

All pleasing but slightly too still in the water for me so let’s make some waves and continue to do so through all of 2018.

Starting with the signature New Products section of 20/20, edit and publishing have evolved the previous What’s Right Now page into a special vendor partnership initiative with new pages hosted within the products section. Kudos especially to 20/20 advertising rep James DeMatteis for his extra efforts in assisting edit with this new frontier.

Giving up What’s Right Now meant we needed a new opening page for the Product section and Senior Associate Editor Victoria Garcia teamed with Art Director Iris Johnson rising to the occasion with the debut of 20/20’s Eye Opener page, a take on trend setting which you simply have to SEE to BELIEVE. So go to page 59 and… take a look!

Not to be outdone, L&T Editor Andy Karp secured a record amount of 20/20 edit space so the inimitable Palmer R. Cook, OD, could deliver the definitive take on what it takes to make the lens part of the eyewear equation look incredible. As frames push to new heights with style, it’s only right and just-in-time that equal cache is focused on the lens side of sensational.

Want more fresh stuff? We’ve got a slew of new coming up so keep an eye on 20/20 as we set sight on 2018 with YOU.

• James J. Spina
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]