Ottica Optariston Roma

What Ottica Optariston Roma does

Optariston Srl, doing business as Ottica Optariston Roma, is a family-owned Italian optical retail business founded in 1953 by Lamberto Labella and headquartered in Rome at Via Modena 26. The company operates six retail locations distributed across Rome's key neighborhoods (Via Nazionale, Talenti, Marconi, Aurelio, Centro Storico, and Monteverde), supplemented by an e-commerce storefront (optariston.com and optaristonshop.com) with DHL Express domestic and international shipping.

The company's core offering spans prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses (including daily disposables, specialty scleral and hybrid rigid gas-permeable designs), ophthalmic lenses, and a growing portfolio of smart wearables — Even Realities G2, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, and Nuance Audio acoustic glasses. A differentiating technical asset is its in-house optical laboratory, which produces custom prescription eyewear in under 15 minutes. Therapeutic and specialty lenses include EnChroma color-blindness glasses, Myoga myopia-control lenses, Tokai ESC anti-aging lenses, Lutina blue-light lenses, and Transitions photochromic lenses. Additional services include free optometric examinations, contactology, low-vision consultations, color-blindness testing, custom lens engraving, and authorized provision of subsidized optical devices under the Italian National Health Service (SSN) for keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, and low-vision patients.

Optariston generates revenue through one-time retail product sales and professional eye-care services, with pricing on a quote-based pay-as-you-go model supplemented by installment plans via App-Pago. Customer acquisition leverages free optometric exams, a loyalty program (Fidelity Card), and content marketing across Instagram, Facebook, and the company blog. The company remains entirely self-financed under Labella family ownership with no disclosed external investors.

Name

Ottica Optariston Roma

Legal name

Optariston Srl

Website

https://optariston.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ottica Optariston Roma is a family-owned Italian optical retailer founded in 1953, operating six Rome locations and an e-commerce platform. It sells prescription eyewear, specialty contact lenses, smart glasses, and therapeutic lenses, supported by an in-house lab producing custom glasses in under 15 minutes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optical Retail

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Offices of Optometrists (62132), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB), Contact Lens Specialty & Myopia Control (HLAKAKAK), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)

Keywords

• Prescription eyewear retail
• Optical retail services
• Contact lens products
• Optometric examinations
• Specialized therapeutic lenses

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Optical Products: Sale of prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and related optical products through 6 physical retail locations and e-commerce platform. Revenue generated from one-time product sales with various payment options including installment plans.
2. Professional Eye Care Services: Optometric examinations, contactology services, low vision consultations, and color blindness testing provided at retail locations. Some services offered free as customer acquisition (optometric exams), others billable.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Optariston is an optical retailer operating six locations across Rome, selling prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses (including specialty therapeutic lenses), and low vision aids. The company provides optometric examinations, contactology services, color blindness diagnostics, and myopia control consultations, supported by an in-house laboratory enabling custom prescription eyewear production in under 15 minutes.

Product overview

Optariston is an established optical retailer operating since 1953, offering a comprehensive portfolio of eyewear products and eye care services through 6 retail locations in Rome. The core offering centers on prescription sunglasses and prescription glasses, complemented by an extensive contact lens range including daily disposables, specialty lenses (scleral, hybrid), and therapeutic lenses (EnChroma color blindness, Myoga myopia control, Transitions photochromic, Tokai ESC anti-aging, Lutina blue light protection). The company has expanded into smart wearable technology with Even Realities G2, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, and Nuance Audio acoustic glasses. Additional offerings include low vision aids, binoculars, video magnifiers, ski goggles, eco-friendly eyewear, and accessories like ANY DI straps. Services encompass free optometric exams, contactology, color blindness testing, eye disease prevention, computer vision syndrome management, custom lens engraving, and National Health Service (SSN) convenzioni for subsidized devices for qualifying conditions like keratoconus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Occhiali da Sole (Sunglasses) Prescription and non-prescription sunglasses providing UV protection, available in designer brands, polarized and graduated options, including sports and driving-specific models.
• Occhiali da Vista (Prescription Glasses) Prescription eyeglasses for vision correction, customizable with various frame styles and lens technologies, supported by an in-house laboratory with sub-15-minute turnaround.
• Lenti a Contatto (Contact Lenses) Contact lenses including daily disposables, frequent replacement, and specialized custom lenses (soft and rigid gas-permeable) for various vision needs.
• Ausili per Ipovisione (Low Vision Aids) Visual aids and devices for individuals with low vision, including magnifiers and specialized optical solutions, provided under SSN convention for qualifying patients.
• Lenti a Contatto Sclerali (Scleral Contact Lenses) Large rigid gas-permeable contact lenses that rest on the sclera (white of the eye) rather than cornea, featuring a tear fluid reservoir for superior comfort and vision quality. Indicated for keratoconus, irregular astigmatisms, post-surgical outcomes, and dry eye conditions.
• Lenti Tokai ESC (Tokai ESC Anti-Wrinkle Lenses) Advanced lens technology with ESC (Eternal Skin Coat) treatment reducing 50% of Near Infrared (NIR) rays, 100% UV rays, and 94% blue light (HEV). Combines with Lutina material to protect both vision and skin around eyes from premature aging.
• Nuance Audio (Acoustic Smart Glasses) Acoustic smart glasses that combine vision correction with sound amplification for people with hearing loss, featuring directional microphones for better speech understanding in noisy environments.
• Occhiali per Daltonici EnChroma (EnChroma Color Blindness Glasses) Specialized lenses using multi-notch filtering technology to separate overlapping red and green cone pigments, enhancing color contrast for red-green color blind individuals, available through Optariston as an authorized EnChroma retailer.
• Lenti Myoga (Myopia Progression Control Lenses) Intelligent monofocal lenses by DAI Optical designed to slow and in many cases halt myopia progression in young people using peripheral myopic defocus technology with three optical zones.
• Visita Optometrica (Optometric Examination) Free optometric eye examinations provided at all six Rome retail locations, serving as a customer acquisition tool and the entry point to vision correction products and services.
• Convenzioni SSN (Italian National Health Service Subsidized Devices) Authorized provider service under the Italian National Health Service (SSN) for subsidized optical devices including scleral contact lenses for keratoconus patients, filters, ophthalmic lenses, optical aids, and electronic devices for low vision.
• Lenti a Contatto Ibride (Hybrid Contact Lenses) Contact lenses combining rigid gas-permeable (RGP) central zone for optical correction with soft peripheral zone for maximum tolerability, custom-designed based on corneal curvature and iris diameter.
• Lenti Fotocromatiche Transitions (Transitions Photochromic Lenses) Adaptive photochromic lenses that dynamically darken in sunlight and clear indoors, blocking UVA/UVB rays and filtering digital blue light, available in Signature Gen8, XTRActive, and XTRActive Polarized variants.
• Even Realities G2 Smart Glasses Smart glasses with integrated display technology, offering augmented reality features and connectivity capabilities.
• Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 Smart Glasses Second-generation smart glasses by Ray-Ban integrated with Meta technology, combining fashion-forward design with smart features.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sustainable/Eco-Friendly Eyewear BrandsminorOthers · 1 January 2019Optariston Green initiative promotes eco-sustainable eyewear from brands committed to environmental protection. This includes frames made from recycled materials, eco-friendly production, and 3D-printed eyewear. The company follows UN 2030 Agenda guidelines for sustainable development.
• EnchromacoreTechnology or IntegrationEnchroma is a California-based company that developed proprietary lens technology for color blindness correction. Optariston is an authorized retailer and applicator of Enchroma glasses and offers color blindness testing using Enchroma's diagnostic test in their 6 Rome locations. The partnership provides color blind patients access to specialized corrective lenses.
• Tokai (Lutina)coreTechnology or IntegrationTokai is a Japanese lens manufacturer producing Lutina lenses (exclusive material blocking UV and HEV light) and ESC (Eternal Skin Coat) treatment for anti-aging eye protection. Optariston offers Tokai ESC lenses exclusively at their 6 Rome centers, positioning these as advanced technology products for eye and skin protection.
• Transitions Optical (Essilor)coreTechnology or IntegrationTransitions Optical (part of Essilor) manufactures photochromic lenses that darken in sunlight and clear indoors. Optariston offers Transitions Signature Gen8, XTRActive, and XTRActive Polarized lenses as part of their ophthalmic lens portfolio.
• Italian National Health Service (SSN)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOptariston is listed among companies authorized by the Italian National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) for provision of subsidized optical devices. This includes scleral contact lenses for keratoconus patients (classified as a rare disease), filters, ophthalmic lenses, optical aids, and electronic devices for low vision. Patients with qualifying conditions can obtain these devices at reduced cost or free through SSN coverage.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Zenni Optical: Online-only eyewear retailer offering low-cost prescription glasses globally. Comparable as an optical retail competitor; differs as a pure e-commerce player versus Optariston's hybrid physical+digital model.
• Warby Parker: US-based direct-to-consumer eyewear retailer offering affordable prescription glasses and contact lenses online with home try-on. Comparable as an optical retailer targeting similar consumer needs; represents the online-first model that competes with Optariston's physical retail approach.

Broad incumbents

• De Rigo: Italian eyewear company owning brands (Police, Sting, Lozza) and the Salmoiraghi & Viganò retail chain. Comparable as an Italian eyewear incumbent with vertically integrated retail; broader portfolio than Optariston's specialty focus.
• EssilorLuxottica: Global eyewear giant combining lens manufacturing (Essilor) and frame/retail brands (Luxottica, Ray-Ban, Oakley, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut). Comparable as upstream lens supplier and brand owner behind many of Optariston's partner technologies (Transitions, Ray-Ban Meta); broadly incumbent in the same space.

Direct peers

• Avanzi Ottici: Italian optical retailer with a heritage similar to Optariston, offering prescription eyewear and eye care services through multiple physical locations. Comparable in mid-market positioning, family-business origins, and emphasis on professional optometric service.
• VisionOttica: Italian optical retail chain offering prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and optometric services across multiple Italian cities. Directly comparable in product mix and service model; Optariston differentiates through specialty niches and in-house lab.
• GrandVision Italy (Vista Vision): Italian subsidiary of the global optical retail group (now part of EssilorLuxottica), operating multi-brand optical stores across Italy. Comparable in-store retail model and product portfolio; significantly larger scale and broader geographic coverage than Optariston.
• Salmoiraghi & Viganò: Italy's largest optical retail chain, operating hundreds of stores nationwide with prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and optometric services. Most directly comparable to Optariston as a multi-store Italian optical retailer; key difference is national scale versus Optariston's Rome concentration.

Others

• Tokai Optical: Japanese lens manufacturer producing Lutina and ESC specialty lenses, distributed in Italy exclusively through Optariston. Comparable as an upstream supplier partner enabling Optariston's anti-aging and blue light lens offerings; not a retail competitor.
• Enchroma: US-based maker of proprietary color-blindness corrective lens technology and a key technology partner of Optariston. Comparable as a complementary player enabling Optariston's specialty color-blindness offering rather than a direct retail competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/optariston
• Instagraminstagram.com/ottica_optariston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/optariston

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 Ottica Optariston Roma