What FocalCenter does

focalCenter is a Chicago-based vision industry market research consultancy founded in 2010 by Dr. Ronald Krefman, OD, FAAO. The firm develops science-based questionnaires, conducts patient and provider surveys, applies statistical analysis to operational and financial datasets, and builds benchmarking dashboards for the U.S. eye-care market. Its core product suite centers on the localEyes platform — including localEyes MYOPIA (interactive myopia prevalence/impact tool) and localEyes MEMBERSHIPS & PLANS (hyper-local membership and vision-plan assessment tool) — each sold as a $599 downloadable license. A subscription-based patient experience product, eyecareScore®, provides statistically validated and benchmarked patient satisfaction measurement particularly targeted at multi-location eyecare organizations, and is supported by a copyrighted, psychometrically tested question set. The company also offers custom quantitative and qualitative Research services and Analytics services that include predictive modeling and what-if scenario analysis, drawing on transaction-level data accessed via a core partnership with GPN (Gateway Processing Network). The business is founder-led, privately held, and operates at sub-10 headcount with a sales-led, content-marketing-driven go-to-market targeting SMB eye care practices and multi-location optical organizations across the United States. No external funding, named enterprise customers, or disclosed revenue figures appear in the source materials.

Name

FocalCenter

Website

https://focalcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

focalCenter is a U.S. vision industry consultancy that develops science-based patient surveys, hyper-local market assessment tools (localEyes), and benchmarking analytics for eye care practices and multi-location optical organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vision Industry Market Research & Analytics

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (621320)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Individual & Family Vision Plans (Exchange/Off-Exchange) (HLAEABAF), Vision & Ophthalmic Diagnostic Centers (Optometry/OCT/Retinal Imaging) (HLAFAKAI)

Keywords

• Vision industry consultancy
• Eyecare market research
• Patient experience surveys
• Optical market analytics
• Hyper-local market intelligence

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Software Products (localEyes): One-time purchase of downloadable market assessment tools (localEyes MYOPIA and localEyes MEMBERSHIPS & PLANS) priced at $599 each. Customers pay upfront for access to hyper-local market data and analytics.
2. eyecareScore® Survey Platform: Patient experience survey product for eyecare businesses. Provides standardized benchmarking and measurement of patient-centeredness for multiple providers or locations.
3. Custom Research Services: Studies for launching, improving or gaining insights about eyecare products, services, locations or optical businesses. Both quantitative and qualitative research capabilities.
4. Analytics Services: Data analytics and visualization services to help businesses identify patterns, make predictions, and optimize business outcomes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

FocalCenter is a vision industry consultancy that develops science-based questionnaires, gathers patient and provider data, and builds benchmarking dashboards for the eyecare market. It sells downloadable software products (localEyes MYOPIA and localEyes MEMBERSHIPS & PLANS, each $599) for hyper-local market assessment, licenses its copyrighted eyecareScore® patient experience survey, and provides custom quantitative/qualitative market research and predictive analytics services to eye care practices.

Product overview

focalCenter is a vision industry consultancy offering a suite of analytics and research products centered around its localEyes platform and eyecareScore survey tool. The product portfolio includes localEyes MYOPIA and localEyes MEMBERSHIPS & PLANS as interactive tools for hyper-local market assessment, complemented by eyecareScore for patient experience measurement. Additional offerings include Analytics services for predictive modeling and data visualization, and Research services for quantitative and qualitative market studies in the eyecare industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• eyecareScore: Standardized, statistically validated and benchmarked survey for precise measurement of patient experience in eyecare businesses.
• localEyes

Products and services

• localEyes MYOPIA Interactive downloadable tool that quantifies the prevalence and impact of myopia in a specific geographic area, enabling eyecare practices to prioritize and capitalize on myopia management opportunities. Sold as a one-time perpetual license for $599.
• localEyes MEMBERSHIPS & PLANS Downloadable market assessment tool that helps eyecare practices optimize in-house membership plans and vision plan strategy based on hyper-local insights specific to their neighborhood. Sold as a one-time perpetual license for $599.
• eyecareScore® Copyrighted, standardized, statistically validated and benchmarked patient experience survey that provides precise measurement of patient-centeredness for eyecare businesses. Enables comparison over time and against peers, and is especially useful for multi-provider or multi-location practices tracking, comparing, and improving business performance.
• Research Services Custom market research services for vision industry clients covering both quantitative analysis of surveys and operational/financial data and qualitative research into needs, opinions, experiences, attitudes, and motivations. Used to launch, improve, or gain insights about eyecare products, services, locations, or optical businesses, and to validate investments.
• Analytics Services Data analytics and visualization services that blend multiple data sources, identify patterns, build predictive models, run what-if scenarios, forecast behavior, interactively weigh trade-offs, and find optimal factor settings that maximize business outcomes for eyecare clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• eyecareScore® detects small differences in patient experiences that can have a large impact on business performance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GPN (Gateway Processing Network)coreTechnology or IntegrationGPN aggregates millions of transactions from thousands of eyecare providers, and focalCenter performs rigorous analysis for delivering micro and macro timely and precise dashboards with interactive market insights to the eyecare industry. This partnership enables access to extensive transaction data for market analytics.
• EyeThriveminorOthersEyeThrive is referenced as a source for frame inventory management insights. Their article on finding the sweet spot in frame inventory (how many brands is too many) is cited in focalCenter's blog content on frame vendor management.
• Jobson Optical ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJobson Optical Research produces the 'Managed Vision Care Patient Experience Study.' FocalCenter references their research on managed vision care, providing insights into how patients perceive their experiences when using vision coverage.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Optometric Management: Established optometry-focused media brand delivering clinical and practice-management content to ODs and practice owners. Comparable as an incumbent information provider for the same eyecare professional audience.
• GlobalData: Large analytics and market-research firm with healthcare and consumer health coverage including ophthalmics. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping healthcare/consumer-vision research scope.
• Vision Monday / Jobson Healthcare Information: Optical-industry news and business publication covering retail, professional, and consumer vision markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent information provider targeting the same eyecare industry stakeholders.
• Mintel: Global market research firm with dedicated eyewear and optical coverage, producing syndicated reports for consumer and industry buyers. Comparable as a broader market-research incumbent with overlapping vision/eyewear category coverage.
• Review of Optometric Business: Long-running optometric practice-management publication offering business, marketing, and operations content for ODs. Comparable as a broader information/practice-management incumbent serving the same ECP audience focalCenter targets.

Direct peers

• Gateway Processing Network (GPN): Vision-industry data and analytics provider that aggregates transactions from thousands of ECPs and produces its own market insights and dashboards. Comparable because it overlaps focalCenter's analytics/data-aggregation role within the eyecare market and is also focalCenter's core data partner.
• Jobson Optical Information: Long-established optical industry publishing and research arm producing market studies (including the Managed Vision Care Patient Experience Study that focalCenter itself cites). Directly comparable as a B2B vision-industry research and information provider serving eyecare professionals.

Others

• Vision Council: Trade association for the optical industry producing market research, consumer insights, and industry data. Comparable as an ecosystem source of vision-industry market intelligence that competes for the same insight-buying audience.
• PECAA Practice Advantage: Doctor-led group for independent eyecare practices offering practice management resources, vendor programs, and educational content such as the podcast focalCenter appeared on. Comparable as a practice-support ecosystem player serving the same ECP base.

Emerging players

• EyeThrive: Practice-management and content resource for eyecare practices, including dispensary and frame-inventory guidance. Comparable as a niche content/consulting resource for ECPs, partially overlapping with focalCenter's research and advisory offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 FocalCenter