What Superior Optical does

Superior Optical, Inc. is a privately held wholesale optical laboratory founded in 1990 and incorporated in 1991 by industry veterans Hal Walker and Jon Jacobs, operating from a 52,000 sq. ft. facility in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The company fabricates prescription lenses, applies no-glare coatings, and distributes optical frames for independent eye care professionals (ECPs), VSP-participating practices, and the Veterans Health Administration. Its core technology stack centers on a Schneider digital generator on an automated conveyor line with three digital polishers for aspheric and progressive lens surfacing, paired with an in-house Crizal coating center — one of only a handful of facilities in the Southeast selected by Essilor to manufacture the full Crizal line (Rock, Sapphire HR, Prevencia, Sun, Easy Pro, Easy). The company also markets a proprietary house brand called PERSONALENS, which uses patented Digital Ray-Path technology to individually calculate lens geometry for each wearer, offering styles targeted at general use, office work, panoramic clarity, and digital single-vision applications.

Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis per lens order processed, with pricing available only to registered dealer accounts. Superior Optical sources its lens designs from a portfolio of authorized partnerships with major manufacturers — Essilor/Varilux, Shamir, HOYA, Younger, Unity, and Vision-Ease — giving it one of the broadest lens catalogs among independent labs. Distribution is exclusively B2B: orders are accepted through three electronic platforms (VisionWeb, SpecCheck, Eyefinity), direct field sales led by a National Director of ECP Sales and National Director of Dispensary Services, and direct contracts with VA hospitals for veteran eyewear. The company is a certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and an authorized VSP lab (Provider #0234), both of which provide structural advantages in accessing VA procurement and the VSP provider network.

Name

Superior Optical

Legal name

Superior Optical, Inc.

Website

https://superioroptical.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Superior Optical is a privately held wholesale optical laboratory in Ocean Springs, Mississippi that fabricates prescription lenses, applies no-glare coatings, and distributes frames for independent eye care professionals, VSP-participating practices, and the VA hospital system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Optical Laboratory Services

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (42346)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)

Keywords

• Wholesale optical lab
• Digital lens surfacing
• No-glare coatings
• Progressive lens fabrication
• Prescription lens manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocean Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Optical Lab Services: Superior Optical operates as a wholesale optical laboratory providing lens fabrication, coating, and finishing services to eye care professionals (ECPs). Revenue is generated through processing orders for prescription lenses including progressive lenses, single vision, no-glare coatings, sunwear, and specialty lenses. The lab processes orders from independent optical practices and has significant business serving VA hospital programs.
2. Frame Distribution: Distribution of optical frames to practices including brand names like Marcholin, Safilo, Ray-Ban, and value packages combining frames, prescription, and edging for one price.
3. Value Packages: Bundled offerings including Safety Industrial Value Package and Rio Ray Sunglasses packages combining frames, prescription lenses, and edging services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Superior Optical is a wholesale optical laboratory that fabricates, coats, and finishes prescription lenses for eye care professionals (ECPs) and VA hospitals. The company operates from a 52,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, performing digital lens surfacing, in-house Crizal no-glare coating, and finishing across virtually every major lens brand plus its proprietary PERSONALENS house brand. Orders are received through online portals (VisionWeb, SpecCheck, Eyefinity) and processed with real-time tracking for nationwide ECP and VA delivery.

Product overview

Superior Optical is a wholesale optical laboratory offering a comprehensive portfolio of lens products and services. The company operates a 52,000 sq. ft. facility with in-house digital lens processing and Crizal coating capabilities. Their product portfolio includes premium progressive lenses from major brands (Varilux, Essilor, Shamir, HOYA, Unity, Younger, Vision-Ease), house brand PERSONALENS digital lenses, photochromic Transitions lenses, polarized NuPolar sun lenses, and Drivewear variable tint lenses. They offer a complete range of no-glare coatings including Crizal (Rock, Sapphire HR, Prevencia, Easy Pro), Exilar (Exilar, Exilar Plus, Exilar Max, Exilar Blue), and Techshield products. The company provides various lens materials from standard Plastic (CR-39) to High-Index options (1.60, 1.67, 1.74), along with polycarbonate, Trivex, and Mid-Index. Additional offerings include frame sales, safety frames, accessories, and online ordering through VisionWeb, SpecCheck, and Eyefinity platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PERSONALENS: House brand of advanced digital lenses featuring Digital Ray-Path technology, including styles ALLCLEAR, CITYVIEW, FORSIGHT, DESKTIME, GATEWAY, and FIRSTVIEW
• Exilar

Products and services

• Varilux Progressive Lenses Premium progressive lenses including Physio DRx, Physio W3+, Comfort, Comfort DRx, Comfort Max, Varilux X Tech, and Varilux X Design, processed for eye care professionals.
• Essilor Lenses Progressive and digital lenses including Definity, Definity Short, Natural, Accolade, and Computer lenses distributed to eye care professionals.
• Shamir Lenses Progressive lenses including Genesis, Autograph Intelligence, Autograph III, InTouch, Attitude, and Office lenses distributed to eye care professionals.
• HOYA Lenses Progressive lenses including ECP, CD, Wide, iD Lifestyle, and Tact distributed to eye care professionals.
• Unity Lenses Progressive lenses including Unity Via II, Unity Via Elite II, and Unity Via Plus II distributed to eye care professionals.
• Younger Lenses Lenses including Image, Image Drivewear, Adage, NuPolar, and Trilogy distributed to eye care professionals.
• Vision-Ease Lenses Lenses including Thindex, SunRx, LifeRx, and Coppertone distributed to eye care professionals.
• PERSONALENS House brand of advanced digital lenses using patented Digital Ray-Path technology, including ALLCLEAR (premium progressive), CITYVIEW (personalized progressive), FORSIGHT (panoramic clarity), DESKTIME (office work), GATEWAY (general use), and FIRSTVIEW (digital single vision), individually calculated for maximum flexibility with complex prescriptions and personalization.
• NuPolar Lenses Polarized sun lenses that block blinding glare while improving contrast, color and depth perception, available in Gray 1, Gray 3, Brown, Green, and Copper colors.
• Transitions Lenses Photochromic lenses that are clear indoors and darken automatically outdoors, blocking 100% of harmful UVA and UVB rays.
• Drivewear Lenses Variable tint lenses activated by Transitions that sense and react to varying light conditions both outside and behind the windshield, combining polarization with photochromics.
• Crizal No-Glare Coatings Premium no-glare coatings including Crizal Rock, Crizal Sapphire HR, Crizal Prevencia, Crizal Sun, Crizal Easy Pro, and Crizal Easy manufactured in-house.
• Exilar No-Glare Coatings Value-priced no-glare coatings including Exilar, Exilar Plus, Exilar Max, and Exilar Blue with hydrophobic and oleophobic properties.
• Techshield Coatings Anti-reflective coatings including Techshield Elite, Techshield Blue, and Techshield Plus.
• Xperio UV Premium polarized sun lenses for outdoor protection.
• Lens Materials Lens material options including Plastic (CR-39), Polycarbonate, Trivex, Mid-Index, High-Index 1.60, High Index 1.67, and High Index 1.74.
• Digital Lens Processing Service State-of-the-art digital surfacing service using Schneider digital generators on an automated conveyor line, handling digital surfacing needs with precision for Essilor, Definity, and Varilux enhanced and DRx digital lenses for eye care professionals.
• In-House Crizal Processing Service In-house Crizal coating processing service fusing 2-sided scratch resistance with no-glare properties and hydrophobic technology, one of few such facilities in the Southeast selected by Essilor.
• Frame Brands Distribution Distribution of optical frames to practices including brand names like Marcholin, Safilo, Ray-Ban, Kenmark, Eye-Q, Capri, Visual Eyes, New York Eye, Global Optique, Tuscany, Optique, Zyloware, Art Craft, and Eight to Eighty.
• Safety Frames (ArmouRx) Safety frames including ArmouRx for industrial and safety applications distributed to eye care professionals.
• Safety Industrial Value Package Complete bundled package including frame, prescription lenses, and edging services at one low price for safety/industrial eyewear needs, with additional Rio Ray Sunglasses packages combining frames, prescription lenses, and edging services.
• Hilco Accessories Full line of Hilco optical accessories including hand stones, lensometers, and tinting units distributed to practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of the few labs with virtually every major lens line including Essilor, Varilux, Shamir, HOYA, Unity, Younger, Vision-Ease
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and standard.

• VSP (Vision Service Plan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuperior Optical is an authorized VSP lab (Provider #0234), enabling them to serve VSP-participating eye care professionals nationwide. This partnership allows seamless ordering through VSP-approved systems and access to the extensive VSP provider network.
• VisionWebcoreTechnology or IntegrationVisionWeb is an electronic ordering platform integrated into Superior Optical's workflow, allowing eye care professionals to place orders online and upload digital frame traces for enhanced accuracy and reduced errors.
• SpecCheckcoreTechnology or IntegrationSpecCheck is an electronic ordering platform partnered with Superior Optical, enabling ECPs to place orders digitally with digital frame trace upload capability for precision ordering.
• EyefinitycoreTechnology or IntegrationEyefinity is a practice management and ordering platform providing seamless online ordering integration for Superior Optical's VSP-approved lab services.
• Essilor (Crizal)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEssilor selected Superior Optical as one of few locations in the Southeast to have an in-house Crizal Processing facility, enabling them to manufacture the entire Crizal coating line at their facility. This is a prestigious designation requiring rigid standards for facility, equipment, and training.
• EssilorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of Essilor lens products including Definity, Accolade, Natural, and other progressive lens lines. Superior Optical is an authorized Essilor distributor offering the complete Essilor product portfolio.
• VariluxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized processor of Varilux progressive lenses including Physio DRx, Physio W3+, Comfort, Comfort Max, Varilux X Tech, and Varilux X Design. Has won Varilux Lab of the Year recognition.
• ShamircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Shamir lens products including Genesis, Autograph Intelligence, Autograph III, InTouch, Attitude, and Office lenses. Partnership includes Shamir RCPV rewards program for ECPs.
• Transitions OpticalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Transitions photochromic lenses - the #1 recommended brand worldwide. Superior Optical has won the Transitions Award of Excellence.
• HOYAmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of HOYA lens products including ECP, CD, Wide, iD Lifestyle, and Tact lenses.
• Younger OpticsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Younger lens products including Image, Image Drivewear, Adage, NuPolar, and Trilogy lenses including Drivewear variable tint technology.
• UnitymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Unity lens products including Unity Via II, Unity Via Elite II, and Unity Via Plus II.
• Vision-EasestandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Vision-Ease products including Thindex, SunRx, LifeRx, and Coppertone lenses.
• National Veteran Small Business CoalitioncoreOthersMembership organization supporting veteran-owned small businesses. Superior Optical is a member as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Superior Optical