HANDS On - Buyers Forum
An Uphill Race

While dropping my kids off at school this spring, we were greeted by a child whose entire face was sunburned. It was so bad that he could barely open his eyes. He had gone skiing and did not have enough sunscreen on his face or coverage for his eyes. His parents wrote a note to his teachers, asking them to make sure that the boy wore sunglasses outside at recess. And it made me wonder why all the kids weren't wearing shades.

It's easy to see the eyecare market for young children with vision problems, but an opportunity is also available to provide all children with appropriate sunwear. While parents are in your dispensary fulfilling their own needs, it's important to educate them on the superiority of the product you can offer their children versus what they can pick up at the supermarket or warehouse store. Proper UV coverage, durability, and clear vision are important for even the youngest of children on the playground, beach, or ski slopes.

Sunwear is just the tip of the iceberg. Today's busy kids have a host of different eyecare needs, from sportswear to backup frames. In our feature on children ages five through 10, we take a look at the growing multiple-pair market for active kids.

One key place in which you can educate parents on the importance of vision care—and boost your own business in the process—is schools. Many resources for ECPs looking to educate children and their parents are available at the Check Yearly. See Clearly. Website, www.checkyearly.com.

Joanne F. Schell
Senior Editor, Frames