What Clarkson Eyecare does

Clarkson Eyecare is a multi-state optometry and eye care services network operating 100+ physical eye care centers across 11 U.S. states (Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida). Founded in 1979 by Lawrence Jehling and headquartered in Ballwin, Missouri, the company provides comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyewear, contact lenses, refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, EVO ICL), and medical treatment for ocular conditions including glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, pterygium, and myopia. It operates as a brand under EyeCare Partners, LLC, a PE-backed practice management platform in which Friedman Fleischer & Lowe invested in April 2015.

The company's service portfolio spans primary eye care to specialty medical and surgical care. Core technology consists of standard ophthalmic diagnostic equipment (digital imaging, slit-lamp microscopes, corneal measurement tools) supplemented by proprietary telehealth infrastructure enabling In-Office Remote Eye Exams, where on-site technicians perform pre-testing while licensed optometrists evaluate results remotely via high-definition video conferencing. A Virtual Try-On tool allows customers to preview 935+ eyeglass frames and 125+ sunglasses via webcam. The Chesterfield, Missouri LASIK Surgery Center serves as the dedicated surgical hub for refractive procedures.

Clarkson generates revenue through per-visit exam fees (comprehensive exams start at $119), prescription eyewear and contact lens sales (both in-office and via direct e-commerce), refractive surgery service fees, and reimbursements across a broad insurance network including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, EyeMed, Humana, Medicare, United Healthcare, VSP, and 10+ additional plans, plus FSA/HSA acceptance and Sunbit patient financing (3/6/12-month plans). Go-to-market is a direct retail model with patients scheduling appointments online or by phone; the 501-1,000 employee base supports a primarily B2C consumer eye care business spanning multiple geographies and patient segments including children, diabetic patients, and refractive surgery candidates.

Name

Clarkson Eyecare

Legal name

EyeCare Partners, LLC

Website

https://clarksoneyecare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Clarkson Eyecare is a multi-state optometry and eye care network operating 100+ centers across 11 U.S. states, offering comprehensive eye exams, prescription eyewear, contact lenses, refractive surgery, and medical eye disease treatment under parent EyeCare Partners, LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optometry and Ophthalmology Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132), Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Offices of Optometrists (621320), Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD), Contact Lenses & Care Systems (Soft/RGP/Scleral Lenses; Cleaning/Disinfection Solutions) (HLAHAJAE), Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Eye care services
• Optometry clinics
• Ophthalmology services
• Prescription eyewear
• LASIK surgery

Headquarters

HQ city

Ballwin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Eye Exams: Comprehensive eye exams, contact lens exams, and specialty exams generate revenue through per-visit fees. Pricing starts at $119 for comprehensive exams.
2. Eyewear Sales: Sale of prescription eyeglass frames, prescription lenses, and sunglasses. Sells popular designer brands including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Coach, Burberry, Michael Kors, Versace, Kate Spade, Vera Bradley, and Nike.
3. Contact Lens Sales: Direct ordering and fulfillment of contact lenses with fast, free shipping. Specialty contact lenses also available for patients with eye conditions.
4. Refractive Surgery Services: LASIK and refractive surgery services offered at their St. Louis surgery center including LASIK, PRK, and EVO ICL procedures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Clarkson Eyecare operates a network of optometry and ophthalmology clinics that deliver comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyewear (frames, lenses, sunglasses), contact lenses, and refractive and medical eye surgeries (LASIK, PRK, EVO ICL, cataract, glaucoma, and dry-eye treatments). The company serves individual patients and families across 11 U.S. states, with pricing starting at $119 per eye exam and acceptance of major vision and medical insurance plans.

Product overview

Clarkson Eyecare operates as an eye care services network offering a unified platform of eye care and eyewear products across multiple states. The portfolio centers on comprehensive eye examination services (Comprehensive Eye Exams, Kids' Eye Exams, Contact Lens Exams, Diabetic Eye Exams, In-Office Remote Eye Exams) complemented by medical treatment services for conditions including Glaucoma, Cataracts, Dry Eye, Myopia, Diabetic Retinopathy, Pterygium, and Macular Degeneration. Eyewear products include prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses with Virtual Try-On technology, prescription lenses (ECP Ultimate, ECP Premium, ECP Plus progressive lenses), and specialty contact lenses (RGP, Scleral, Ortho-K, Hybrid). Surgical offerings include LASIK, PRK, and EVO ICL procedures. Additional services include Vision Therapy, Ocular Emergencies, the 20/20 Kids Club program, and an Eyewear Protection Plan. The network accepts major insurance plans and offers FSA/HSA payment options and Sunbit financing. Locations span Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive Eye Exams Full-scope eye health and vision-acuity examinations for adults, including refraction and ocular disease screening. Pricing starts at $119 per exam, with major vision and medical insurance plans accepted.
• Pediatric Eye Exams (20/20 Kids Club) Eye examinations tailored for children, including vision screening and myopia management, delivered through the 20/20 Kids Club membership program designed for parents seeking ongoing pediatric vision care.
• Contact Lens Exams and Fittings Specialized exams to evaluate fit, prescription, and ocular health for patients seeking contact lens correction, including first-time fittings and ongoing prescription renewals.
• Diabetic Eye Exams Annual dilated eye exams for diabetic patients to screen for diabetic retinopathy and other ocular complications associated with diabetes.
• Remote Eye Exams In-office remote eye examinations that connect patients to clinicians via telehealth technology, enabling access to refractive and ocular health evaluations without a face-to-face doctor visit.
• LASIK Surgery Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis refractive surgery to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, reducing dependence on glasses and contact lenses. Patient financing via Sunbit is available.
• PRK Surgery Photorefractive keratectomy, a surface-based laser vision correction procedure offered as an alternative to LASIK for eligible patients.
• EVO ICL Surgery EVO Implantable Collamer Lens surgery, an additive lens-based refractive procedure for patients who are not ideal LASIK or PRK candidates.
• Cataract Surgery and Treatment Surgical removal of cataracts with intraocular lens implantation to restore vision impaired by lens clouding.
• Glaucoma Treatment Diagnosis, monitoring, and medical/surgical management of glaucoma to slow disease progression and preserve vision.
• Dry Eye Treatment Evaluation and treatment of dry eye disease, including in-office therapies and at-home management plans.
• Myopia Management Programs to slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) in children and adolescents, including specialty lenses and related interventions.
• Macular Degeneration Treatment Diagnosis and ongoing treatment of macular degeneration to preserve central vision.
• Pterygium Treatment Medical and surgical treatment of pterygium (growth of tissue on the conjunctiva) to relieve irritation and protect vision.
• Vision Therapy Structured vision therapy and rehabilitation programs to address functional vision deficits, binocular disorders, and visual processing issues.
• Ocular Emergency Services Same-day evaluation and treatment of ocular emergencies such as foreign body removal, sudden vision loss, eye infections, and trauma.
• Designer Frames and Prescription Eyewear Retail sale of designer and value frames paired with prescription lenses, fitted and dispensed in-clinic by licensed opticians.
• Sunglasses Non-prescription and prescription sunglasses from designer and sport brands, available in-clinic.
• Contact Lenses Direct retail sale of daily, two-week, and monthly disposable contact lenses, including specialty lenses, with ongoing prescription supply.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EyeCare PartnerscoreOthersEyeCare Partners is the parent company of Clarkson Eyecare. Clarkson Eyecare operates as a brand under EyeCare Partners, LLC, which provides practice management and support services.
• Insurance NetworkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClarkson Eyecare is an in-network provider for major vision insurance plans including Aetna, Avesis, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Community Eye Care, Davis Vision, Envolve, EyeMed, Humana, March Vision, Medicare, National Vision Administrators (NVA), Spectera, Tricare, United Healthcare, VA Community Care Network, Vision Benefits of America, and VSP.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LensCrafters: Operates one of the largest U.S. optical retail chains offering comprehensive eye exams, prescription eyewear, and contact lenses in physical mall and street-front locations. Directly comparable to Clarkson's retail optical and exam service model at significantly larger national scale.
• Warby Parker: Vertically integrated eyewear brand with both e-commerce and growing physical retail footprint offering eye exams, prescription glasses, sunglasses, and contacts. Closely comparable on retail optical plus exam model, with a digital-native go-to-market that pressures traditional chains like Clarkson.
• Pearle Vision: National optical retail franchise operated by Luxottica providing eye exams, eyewear, and contact lenses. Competes directly with Clarkson on multi-location optical retail with insurance network participation, franchise model rather than corporate.
• America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses: Operated by National Vision, this is one of the largest value-oriented optical retail chains in the U.S., combining eye exams with two-for-one frame deals and contact lens sales. Closely comparable to Clarkson's exam-plus-eyewear model, with stronger value-segment positioning.
• MyEyeDr. PE-backed (Altaris Capital) optometry group with hundreds of multi-state locations offering comprehensive exams, eyewear, contact lenses, and medical eye care services. Highly comparable to Clarkson on size, multi-state retail optical model, and PE-backed growth strategy.
• For Eyes: National optical chain owned by GrandVision offering eye exams, prescription glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses across multiple U.S. states. Comparable to Clarkson on the integrated exam-and-eyewear retail model with strong brand positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Target Optical: Optical retail concept operated inside Target stores by Luxottica, providing eye exams and eyewear at hundreds of locations nationwide. Comparable retail optical offering but embedded within a mass-merchant parent rather than a dedicated eye-care platform.
• Costco Optical: In-warehouse optical department of Costco Wholesale offering eye exams and prescription eyewear at value prices to its membership base. Overlaps with Clarkson's exam-and-eyewear model but as a value-focused offering within a much larger retail platform.

Emerging players

• Zenni Optical: Pure-play online eyewear retailer selling prescription glasses and sunglasses at very low price points direct to consumer. Represents the most disruptive online-only model that pressures traditional optical retailers like Clarkson on frame pricing and convenience.

Others

• EyeCare Partners: Clarkson's parent company, also a multi-state optometry and ophthalmology platform with hundreds of locations across the U.S. Operates Clarkson as a regional brand alongside other brands in the same platform, providing shared services and capital.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clarksoneyecare
• Facebookfacebook.com/clarksoneyecare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clarkson-eyecare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clarkson Eyecare