As April gets underway, and we begin to enjoy nature’s joyous springtime transition from the cold of winter to warm sun, green grass and blooming flowers, the urge to get outside, breathe fresh air and start moving again is profound.

I will dutifully note that some of us have been moving all winter, taking workouts inside, playing on indoor winter leagues, or, depending on your preferences, enduring dark mornings and cold outdoor runs. Along the same vein, I’ll acknowledge my retired neighbor, who without fail goes outside each day for her regular early morning walk, regardless of the weather. I enthusiastically smile and wave to her, bundled predictably from head to toe, from the warmth of my car as I drive to the gym. To each their own.

Regardless, the advent of spring often means the return of outdoor sports, ubiquitous to fields and courts, quiet cul-de-sacs and off-hours parking lots, athletic tracks and open roads, all played out across rural, suburban and city landscapes alike. As we—and customers and patients—all head outdoors as participants, observers (hello, opening day!) and enthusiasts, the importance of staying protected by our eyewear, or simply looking and feeling comfortable and fashionable, cannot be underestimated, which makes the timing of our sport eyewear issue just about perfect.

The Sport Eyewear MarketPulse Survey in this issue reveals some intriguing trends in the dispensing of sport, protective and athleisure-type eyewear among surveyed respondents across independent optical locations. We see that 78 percent and 72 percent of respondents dispense sport and protective eyewear, respectively, representing just 10 percent and 11 percent of total practice revenue. A total of 91 percent of respondents dispense prescription sport eyewear, and the dispensing of sport eyewear is driven predominantly by patient request (61 percent) versus the practice’s suggestion (39 percent).

While seeing these numbers is heartening (almost 80 percent of respondents dispense sport eyewear, and approximately 90 percent dispense prescription sport eyewear), it shows that there is some room for continued growth. As you flip through the pages of this month’s issue, you will see both fun and purposeful options to help spark ideas and inform recommendations to patients, depending on their needs. You will also find an exciting trip down memory lane, as we showcase past covers and coverage of eyewear as part of a continuing celebration of 20/20’s 50th anniversary. Seeing styles from decades past is a fun diversion, but also provides a unique window into how far we’ve come with the evolution of materials, design and lens technology.

We hope you take a few minutes to browse this issue, and that you are able to spend some time outside enjoying all spring has to offer, with the appropriate eyewear, of course.

—Anne Cooper
Editorial Director, 20/20 and Vision Monday
[email protected]