Mark Agnew

Background

About Mark Agnew

CEO/Founder of Eyeglasses.com, a leading online retailer of eyeglasses, prescription lenses, and sunglasses. Online since Eyeglasses.com pioneered the development of omni-channel retailing in the eyewear industry, in a retail store concept that integrates the benefits of its website with the personal service that customers expect in a retail optical store. Each retail store offers superior customer service, in-store inventory, and a massive virtual catalog of 350+ top fashion brands, all at prices typically 50% less than its competitors. The first two stores are located in Westport, and West Hartford, CT. Agnew has long been a consumer advocate, leaving a successful Wall Street career to develop Eyeglasses.com, which sells high-quality eyewear to customers for half of the price normally charged by optical stores. As an expert in the eyewear industry, he is the author of the book,"Eyeglasses Buying Guide: How to Pay Less and Get More", which offers advice and information to all consumers of eyeglasses, offline and online. As an outspoken critic of “Vision Insurance Benefits” plans, Agnew has appeared frequently in the media to expose how these plans are a bad deal for employees, and also how they raise the price of eyewear across the country costing consumers billions of dollars annually in overpayments to providers. In 2020, Agnew launched Vision Magazine, an online publication which features researched topics ranging from the eyewear business, to insurance, health tips, and meditation. As the victim of street violence and permanently blinded in one eye, Agnew helps people deal with trauma through writing and public speaking opportunities, and awareness counseling. In 2014, Eyeglasses.com launched the NewVision Benefits Plan, providing vision benefits directly to corporations, municipalities, and large groups. NVBP provides a much greater selection at a significantly lower cost to members compared to typical vision benefits plans, or self-funded plans. Eyeglasses.com pioneered the use of Virtual Try On technology in the eyewear industry. Two patents were issued in 2003, which were sold in 2013 to Luxottica Corporation (NYSE: LUX).