This page lists the oldest brands and companies that have been exclusively engaged in the eyewear manufacturing industry to date, across various countries. "Eyewear" is a relatively modern term encompassing all items and accessories worn over the eyes for fashion, environmental protection, and medical purposes, including glasses (also known as eyeglasses or spectacles) and sunglasses. To be listed, a brand or company name must manufacture and sell its own eyewear products and remain operating, either in whole or in part, since inception. Generic optical stores, retailers and factories are not included in the list.
List of oldest eyewear companies YearCompanyCurrent locationParent companySources1750Dollond & AitchisonUnited Kingdom1777C.W. Dixey & SonUnited Kingdom 1816Campbell Optik Germany Independent (sister company: Friedrichs Optik) 1826American Optical CompanyUnited StatesEuropa Eyewear1853Bausch + LombCanadaIndependent1865ShuronUnited States1872LotosGermany1875E.B. MeyrowitzUnited Kingdom1875AsakuraJapan1877RodenstockGermany1878Gouverneur AudigierFrance1878LozzaItaly1879Erker'sUnited States1880Marius MorelFrance1882Anglo American OpticalUnited States1883Hakusan MeganeJapan1887Watanabe MeganeJapan1888JULBOFrancia1907Tokyo MeganeJapan1905MasunagaJapan1907TaihodoJapan1914Sterling OpticalUnited StatesEmerging Vision1915MoscotUnited States1917PersolItalyEssilorLuxottica1917Kame ManNenJapan1918Art-Craft OpticalUnited States1919Foster GrantUnited StatesEssilorLuxottica1925Jono HennessyAustraliaIndependent
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