My question to essilor, then, if we're the primary customer, is "why"?
Why cut us out? Why go direct to consumer?
What are essilor's fundamental values, here? Dominate the market with every possible means? Buy labs. Force EyeMed providers to use them. Incentivize their products, only. Sell direct to consumer via the internet.
And don't forget, of all the internet purchases in the whole wide world, they purchased the one that is absolutely least regulated, and deliberately positioned to off-shore US glasses manufacture to a Rx-free zone.
Look, Vistakon has made a commitment to private practice. They've put their money where their mouths are. Look at essilor.