What Eyewear Experts does

Eyewear Experts is a privately held, locally owned retail optical business operating two storefronts in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada (Downtown Red Deer at 4924 59 St, and Gasoline Alley at 106 159B Leva Ave). Founded in 2007 by Phil Ripley, who has more than 40 years in the optical industry, the company sells prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and related lens products, and is supported by an onsite computerized one-hour lens fabrication lab and professional eye examinations using advanced diagnostic equipment including Optomap ultra-widefield retinal imaging and a Vision-R 700 digital refraction system.

The firm employs 7-10 licensed opticians with over 200 years of combined optician experience, holding affiliations with the College of Opticians of Alberta, the Opticians Association of Canada, and the International Opticians Association. Revenue is generated primarily through unit-priced sales of eyewear (single vision glasses starting at $89, progressive glasses from $239, kids two-pair packages at $249), recurring contact lens resupply, one-time professional eye examinations, repair services, and direct billing to major insurance providers. Customer reach is entirely local B2C, serving general consumers, families, children, diabetic patients, seniors, and screen/outdoor users across central Alberta. No e-commerce channel exists; all transactions occur at the two physical storefronts.

Name

Eyewear Experts

Legal name

Eyewear Experts

Website

https://eyewearexpertsreddeer.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Eyewear Experts is a privately held, locally owned optical retailer in Red Deer, Alberta, operating two storefronts that sell prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and sunglasses alongside onsite lens fabrication, professional eye exams, and direct insurance billing for local consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optical Retail / Eyewear Stores

NAICS

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

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical) (CRAAAKAA)

Keywords

• Prescription eyewear retail
• Optical eye exams
• Contact lens fitting
• Designer eyeglass frames
• Retinal imaging services

Headquarters

HQ city

Red Deer

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Eyewear Sales: Sales of prescription eyeglasses, frames, sunglasses, and lenses. One-time purchases with optional add-ons like coatings and upgrades.
2. Contact Lenses: Sales of daily, weekly, and monthly disposable contact lenses. Repeat purchases from supply orders.
3. Eye Exams: Professional eye examinations including visual acuity, refraction testing, pressure testing, and retinal imaging with ophthalmologist review.
4. Repair & Maintenance: Repair services for eyeglasses including frame adjustments, nose pad replacement, and screw replacement. Minor repairs provided at no charge.
5. Insurance Billing Services: Direct billing to insurance providers for covered services and products, streamlining payment for customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Eyewear Experts is a retail optical store that sells prescription eyeglasses, designer and non-designer frames, contact lenses, sunglasses, and custom prescription lenses, complemented by professional eye exams, Optomap retinal imaging, digital refraction, and an onsite 1-hour lab for same-day lens fabrication. The company serves individual consumers in the Red Deer, Alberta area through two retail storefronts.

Product overview

Eyewear Experts is a retail eyewear and eye care business offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The core product offering consists of four main product categories: Frames (with over 6,000 options from designer brands), Contact Lenses (daily, weekly, monthly, toric, and multifocal options), Sunglasses (with UV protection and polarized lenses), and Prescription Lenses (single-vision, bifocal, progressive, and specialty lenses). These products are supported by a suite of services including Eye Exams, Repair & Maintenance, an Onsite 1-Hour Lab for rapid lens fabrication, Insurance Billing with direct billing to major providers, and Optomap Retinal Imaging for comprehensive eye health screening.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Designer and Standard Eyeglass Frames Eyeglass frames available in over 6,000 options including designer brands such as Oakley, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim, Prada, Tiffany & Co., Nike, Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Versace, Coach, Hugo Boss, Emporio Armani, and Spy. Sold to individual consumers at retail storefronts.
• Contact Lenses Contact lenses including daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly disposables, plus toric and multifocal options for various vision correction needs. Sold to individual consumers with repeat purchase supply orders.
• Sunglasses Sunglasses with UV protection including polarized lenses, prescription sunglasses, and designer brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, Maui Jim, Tom Ford, Versace, Michael Kors, Coach, and Hugo Boss.
• Prescription Lenses Custom prescription lenses including single-vision, bifocal, progressive, digital high-definition, blue light protection, anti-reflective, transition, and polarized lenses, fabricated in the onsite 1-hour lab.
• Eye Exams Professional eye examinations including visual acuity testing, refraction testing, pressure testing, and non-invasive retinal examination with Optomap imaging, with results reviewed by an ophthalmologist. Available to individual consumers at retail storefronts.
• Onsite 1-Hour Lab Computerized onsite lab that processes most prescriptions in about one hour, allowing customers to receive same-day eyewear. Available at both retail storefronts.
• Optomap Retinal Imaging Ultra-widefield retinal imaging technology that captures a 200-degree image in a single scan for early detection of eye conditions and diseases, without requiring pupil dilation. Results reviewed by an ophthalmologist.
• Repair & Maintenance Services Repair services for eyeglasses including frame adjustments, nose pad replacement, and screw replacement, with minor repairs provided at no charge.
• Insurance Billing Services Direct billing to insurance providers for covered services and products, streamlining payment for customers and eliminating upfront out-of-pocket expense and claim submission for most major insurance providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day prescription eyewear in about one hour
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• International Opticians Association (IOA)minorOthersGlobal organization dedicated to advancing opticianry through education, advocacy, and promotion of best practices. Membership provides access to latest advancements in eyewear technology, research, and industry trends.
• Opticians Association of Canada (OAC)minorOthersNational association representing and supporting opticians across Canada. Champions high professional standards and advocates for quality eye care delivery.
• College of Opticians of Alberta (COA)coreOthersRegulatory body for opticians in Alberta responsible for licensing qualified opticians, setting professional standards, and protecting the public. Ensures opticians meet stringent educational requirements and adhere to code of conduct.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Costco Optical: Optical department within Costco Wholesale Canada offering eye exams, prescription glasses and contact lenses at value pricing. Comparable product category but operates as an ancillary department within a mass retailer rather than a dedicated optical chain.
• Walmart Vision Center: Optical service counter inside Walmart Canada stores offering eye exams and a curated selection of prescription eyewear and contact lenses. Comparable in offering but embedded inside a general-merchandise retailer.

Emerging players

• Warby Parker: US-based direct-to-consumer eyewear brand now operating physical retail locations across North America, selling prescription glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses with home try-on. Comparable category and designer-eyewear positioning; less directly overlapping given limited Canadian store count but a structural threat to the in-store optical model.

Direct peers

• BonLook: Canadian eyewear brand and retailer operating online plus a growing number of physical boutiques selling prescription glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses. Comparable designer-eyewear positioning and DTC orientation with a Canadian footprint.
• Specsavers: UK-headquartered optical and audiology retailer actively expanding across Canada with clinics offering eye exams, prescription glasses, contact lenses and insurance direct billing. Directly comparable optician-led retail model with a clinical-service emphasis.
• FYidoctors: One of Canada's largest doctor-owned optical companies, operating hundreds of clinics with eye exams, designer frames, contact lenses and onsite lens fabrication. Closest peer by model: clinic-anchored optical retail with onsite labs and broad frame assortments.
• Hakim Optical: Long-standing Canadian optical retail chain with stores across multiple provinces, offering prescription eyewear, eye exams, contact lenses and insurance direct billing. Directly comparable as a Canadian independent/multi-store optical retailer serving similar demographics.
• LensCrafters: Major international optical retail chain (EssilorLuxottica) with Canadian stores offering prescription eyewear, eye exams and same-day service in many locations. Directly comparable retail optical model, with greater scale and brand breadth.
• Pearle Vision: North American optical retail chain (EssilorLuxottica) offering eye exams, prescription eyewear, contact lenses and insurance acceptance. Directly comparable multi-store optical retailer operating across North America.
• Clearly: Vancouver-based online optical retailer selling prescription glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses direct-to-consumer across Canada. Comparable in product category and Canadian market, though distribution is e-commerce rather than brick-and-mortar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eyewear-experts

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 Eyewear Experts