Modern Optical

What Modern Optical does

Modern Optical International is a third-generation, family-owned wholesale eyewear distributor founded in 1974 and headquartered in Roselle, Illinois. The company supplies independent eyecare professionals (ECPs) with a catalog of more than 1,300 frame styles across 20+ sub-brands — including value lines (Modern Plastics I & II, Modern Metals, modern times), specialty-fit collections (B.M.E.C. for larger men, GB+ for extended-size women, fashiontabulous for petites, modz kids), and lifestyle brands (modern art, genevieve boutique, genevieve paris design, giovani di venezia, G.V.X., modz titanium, modzflex, modz sunz, U Rock) — together with optical supplies such as cases, cloths, nose pads, parts, and tools. A dedicated Product Development Team introduces 75-100 new styles annually.

The business operates on a B2B wholesale model: customers must apply for and be approved for a company account, after which orders flow through direct sales representatives covering all 50 U.S. states and 70+ countries, supported by an account-gated e-commerce site (ModernOptical.com/US) with SKU/UPC search, digital flipbook catalogs, lookbooks, and brandsheets. The proprietary OCHO Vision virtual try-on platform (ochovision.com) is offered to ECPs to modernize the in-office patient fitting experience, and the sales team uses EyeRep technology for order management. Fulfillment runs same-day with a stated 98%+ on-time rate.

The revenue model is one-time wholesale distribution of physical eyewear and supplies, with quote-based, non-publicly-disclosed pricing structured around managed care programs, insurance programs, frame/lens packages, and special promotions. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no subsidiaries, no M&A history, no public listing, and no external investors, consistent with stable long-term family control. Recognition includes five consecutive years as an "Ultimate Partner" by 20/20 and Vision Monday readers and a 2024 Best Places to Work in Illinois designation.

Name

Modern Optical

Legal name

Modern Optical International

Website

https://modernoptical.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Modern Optical International is a third-generation, family-owned wholesale eyewear distributor founded in 1974, selling 1,300+ frame styles across 20+ sub-brands to independent eyecare professionals in the U.S. and 70+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Optical Eyewear

NAICS

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

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL)

Keywords

• Wholesale eyewear distribution
• Optical frames supply
• Eyecare professional products
• Virtual try-on technology
• Managed care eyewear

Headquarters

HQ city

Roselle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Eyewear Distribution: Third-generation family-owned wholesale company selling value-oriented eyewear and related supplies to independent eyecare professionals. Products include frames across multiple brands and optical supplies. Operates on a B2B account basis requiring company accounts for ordering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Modern Optical is a third-generation family-owned wholesale eyewear company that supplies more than 1,300 eyeglass frame styles across 20+ proprietary sub-brands to independent eyecare professionals. The company distributes its portfolio through field sales representatives, a B2B ordering platform, and trade shows, with same-day shipping and a documented fulfillment rate above 98% to all 50 U.S. states and 70+ countries. It also offers proprietary in-office tools such as the OCHO Vision virtual try-on system and EyeRep sales order management software.

Product overview

Modern Optical is a third-generation family-owned wholesale eyewear company founded in 1974, offering a portfolio of over 1,300 quality, fashionable eyewear styles across 20+ sub-brands to independent eyecare professionals. The portfolio includes affordable luxury collections (Modern Art, Genevieve Paris Design), value-driven brands (Modz, Modern Plastics I & II, Modern Metals, Modern Times), specialty-fit solutions (B.M.E.C. for larger men, GB+ for extended-size women, Fashiontabulous for petite women, Modz Kids, Modz Titanium, ModzFlex), and Optical Supplies (cases, cloths, tools, parts). The company also offers OCHO Vision, a proprietary virtual try-on technology platform. All products are designed for frame/lens packages, managed care, and price specials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• B.M.E.C. Extended-size collection for larger men featuring masculine styling, quality construction, and remarkable value. Sizes range from 53mm to 64mm with temples up to 160mm.
• fashiontabulous
• GB+
• genevieve boutique
• genevieve paris design
• giovani di venezia
• G.V.X.
• modern art
• modern metals
• Modern Plastics I
• Modern Plastics II
• modern times
• modz
• modzflex
• modz kids
• modz sunz
• modz titanium
• U Rock
• Optical Supplies
• close out

Products and services

• Wholesale Eyewear Frame Catalog

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day shipping with over 98% fulfillment rate
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OCHO VisioncoreTechnology or IntegrationOCHO Vision is Modern Optical's proprietary virtual try-on technology integrated into their service offering. The technology streamlines in-office workflow and modernizes the patient journey for independent eyecare professionals.
• EyeRepcoreTechnology or IntegrationEyeRep is the latest technology utilized by Modern Optical's sales team for order management and customer relationship purposes.
• National Optometric FoundationminorOthersPhilanthropic partner supporting optical-related causes. Modern Optical supports this organization as part of their culture of giving.
• EyeCare 4 KidsminorOthersPhilanthropic partner providing eyewear to children in need domestically and internationally (including EyeCare 4 Kids Africa).
• Lions Club InternationalminorOthersPhilanthropic partner supporting vision-related causes globally through Lions Club International's global vision initiatives.
• Optometry Giving SightminorOthersPhilanthropic partner supporting optometry causes and vision care accessibility worldwide.
• Eye See Eye LearnminorOthersPhilanthropic partner supporting children's vision education and care programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marcolin Group: Italian eyewear company producing branded and licensed frames (Tom Ford, Ermenegildo Zegna, Guess); a direct wholesale competitor to Modern Optical selling frames through independent ECPs and optical retail chains globally.
• WestGroupe: Canadian family-owned eyewear distributor (FYSH, KLIIK, Superflex brands) selling wholesale to independent ECPs across North America and internationally; comparable in size, ownership profile, and independent-ECP go-to-market focus.
• ClearVision Optical Company: US-based family-owned wholesale eyewear distributor (since 1949) selling branded and private-label frames to independent ECPs; the closest US analog to Modern Optical in terms of size, family ownership, and value-tier positioning.
• Kenmark Eyewear: US wholesale eyewear company distributing branded and licensed frames (Kensie, Jones New York, Lucky Brand); directly comparable B2B frame wholesaler serving independent eyecare professionals across the United States.
• Safilo Group: Italian eyewear manufacturer and wholesale distributor of branded and licensed frames (Carrera, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade); directly competes with Modern Optical in the B2B frame wholesale channel serving independent and chain optical retailers worldwide.
• De Rigo S.p.A. Italian eyewear company producing licensed and proprietary frames (Police, Sting, Lozza); wholesale distributor serving independent optical retailers globally with a model closely paralleling Modern Optical's B2B channel.
• Marchon Eyewear: VSP-owned wholesale eyewear distributor of branded frames (Nike, Calvin Klein, Lacoste); serves independent ECPs and optical retail with a comparable B2B wholesale model to Modern Optical, including technology partnerships for ECP enablement.

Broad incumbents

• EssilorLuxottica: Global eyewear and lens giant combining Luxottica's frame manufacturing with Essilor's lens leadership; competes with Modern Optical at the wholesale frame level and through owned retail chains (LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sunglass Hut) that bypass independent ECPs.

Emerging players

• Warby Parker: Direct-to-consumer eyewear brand that designs and sells its own frames at accessible price points, bypassing the wholesale-ECP channel; represents the structural disruptor to Modern Optical's value-tier B2B model by capturing consumers who might otherwise purchase through independent ECPs.
• Revolution Eyewear: US-based eyewear company offering proprietary and licensed frames to independent optical retailers; smaller-scale direct competitor with overlap in value-tier and lifestyle frame categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ModernFrames
• Facebookfacebook.com/modernopticalinternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/modern-optical-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Modern Optical