By Delia Paunescu : Assistant Editor

 
NEW YORK—Independent ECPs’ outlook toward their business improved significantly in March 2011, compared to attitudes reported for past months and also compared to March 2010 results, according to the latest edition of Jobson Optical Research’s Optical Business Barometer (OBB), which is designed to gauge the optical business trends of eyecare professionals at independent optical locations. Prior to March, the Barometer remained firm at an index of 3.6 for the previous three months.

Respondents’ attitudes toward business in March grew to 3.9, up 0.3 points from the previous score of 3.6. Having fallen since August 2010’s high point, the barometer also rose 0.3 points in December to match the initial score in January 2010. The March 2011 score is the highest since the Optical Business Barometer began tracking in January 2010.

Additionally, March saw raised scores in independents’ outlook for future business. The Northeast, South and West regions saw the current month’s ratings toward future business match or exceed those of February 2011, while the Midwest’s rating for the overall U.S. optical business for the upcoming 6 months fell 0.1 points in March to match the January score of 3.5.

The OBB is designed to gauge the optical business trends of eyecare professionals at independent optical locations (single locations and groups of no more than three locations) and is based on a scaleof 1 to 5 where 1 is “very negative”, 3 is “neutral” and 5 is “very positive.”

 

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