New Essilux-Meta glasses on the way, FCC filings suggest
The grantee known to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as 2AYOA, and to us as Luxottica Group, has filed documents pertaining to what appear to be two new models of Ray-Ban smart glasses – as reported first by Janko Roettgers’ Lowpass newsletter and then by Road to VR and ...
Made in Italy and inspired by Africa, L.G.R. looks to increase its global footprint
The Italian eyewear brand L.G.R. traces its roots back to Eritrea, where the grandfather of its founder Luca Gnecchi Ruscone lived for decades and imported photographic equipment and eyewear for the local market. Since Ruscone set up the brand in 2008, L.G.R. has gained a name among celebrities and royalty ...
Meta reportedly renouncing the launch of its AR glasses in the EU, for now
Meta is, for now, renouncing the launch of its Meta Ray‑Ban Display AR glasses in the European Union (EU), according to an anonymous source “with knowledge of the situation” quoted in a Bloomberg article last week.
Mister Spex turnaround plan yields higher margins but break-even still distant
Quality over quantity, offline over online, premium prescription eyewear over sunglasses and Germany over international markets; the shift in priorities introduced in the summer of 2024 by the new management team has started to pay off in 2025 with significant margin improvements, Mister Spex stressed in its full-year financial results ...
AFFLELOU slows down in Q2
AFFLELOU GROUP network sales increased by 2.5 percent to €244.9 million in Q2 FY2026, decelerating from the 5 percent growth reported for the first quarter and for FY2024. All markets, France, Spain and Other Countries saw their growth pace roughly halved quarter on quarter.
AI startup takes aim at eyewear e-tail shortcomings
Eyvero.AI, a Balkans-based IT startup, is launching several AI-powered tools, covering areas such as virtual try-on, or rather “anatomic immersion” as the company puts it, progressive lens fitting analysis, and the creation of digital frame images and marketing materials.
New white paper looks industry sustainability issues in the eye
Frame the Future, a newly established non-profit sustainability organization, is launching its activities by publishing The Catalyst Study, a 38-page white paper examining the structural barriers that hinder sustainability progress in the eyewear industry. The challenge, they argue, is more structural than technical.
VSP Vision announces Innovation Challenge winners and finalists
The VSP Vision Innovation Challenge at this year’s Vision Expo – organized by RX and The Vision Council in collaboration with VSP Vision – has yielded two winners and two finalists, all start-ups.
Leading electronics ODM and Ray-Ban Meta supplier to form lens JV with Asahi Lite
Goertek Optical, a subsidiary of Goertek, a leading Chinese original design manufacturer and components supplier for smart hardware, is about to form a joint venture with Asahi Lite, as we have just learned. The announcement was made a few weeks ago by Conant Optical, the Chinese-based lens manufacturer that fully ...
NIDEK modernizes refraction with lens-free, open-field system
In daily life, people naturally have an open-field vision environment with their two eyes open, so shouldn’t it be the same when they have their visual acuity checked? The answer to that question lies at the heart of PHANTOM, NIDEK’s new refraction system, with which the company is aiming to ...
CECOP celebrates 30th anniversary with 7% growth in 2025
Spanish-based optical buying group CECOP celebrated its 30th anniversary on Feb. 28 and March 1 during its annual EXPOCECOP event, where it brought together 170 of its 6,000 members. The company operates in 6 countries with at least 1,000 members in all markets but Italy and Portugal (see table).
JEH maintains top level margins despite “inbound” business slowdown in Q4
Japanese Eyewear Holdings (JEH) revenue increased by 14.2 percent year-on-year to 5.2 billion Japanese yen (€29m) in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026/1, ended Jan. 31. The momentum was driven by Kaneko Optical (+20.0 percent), the group’s main retail banner, while growth was more subdued at 999.9 (4.1 percent).
Vuzix books modest revenue recovery as cash reserves dwindle
Smart-glasses and waveguides manufacturer Vuzix has reported a 9 percent rise in full-year revenue to $6.3 million for 2025 – an apparent stabilization after the drop from 2023 to 2024 of $12.1 to $5.7 million. That more-than-halving resulted largely from unrenewed orders (for Vuzix’s M400 smart glasses) from two major ...
Safilo comments FY 2025 solid performance, M&A targets
Confirming preliminary results released at the end of January, Safilo Group announced yesterday that its Q4 revenue declined by 4.6 percent to €225 million. At constant exchange rates, the topline inched up by 0.4 percent, with both North America and Europe growing at a low single-digit margin rate (see table). ...
VeneVision looks to launch new eyewear brands, scouting for opportunities
VeneVision is looking to increase the weight of its own brands in its sales mix as it moves to further expand its offering across the supply chain, Nicola Belli, CEO of the Italian eyewear manufacturer, told Eyewear Intelligence in a recent interview.