This fall, Vision Council of America (VCA) members will benefit from a new service provided by VCA, Boucher Communications Inc. (BCI) and Harris Interactive. Both full members and exhibitor members will be able to subscribe to InSight, a comprehensive, consumer information service, at a discounted rate.

Research will be gathered through monthly online surveys of consumers on their vision correction needs, perceptions of eyewear and eye care and their purchasing habits.

Survey questions will be developed by BCI and Harris Interactive in consultation with subscribers. The results of the research will be made available to individual subscribers only via a highly sophisticated, password-protected Web site allowing users to easily cross-tabulate and reformat the data instantly, online.

The reports will be syndicated, covering timely trends in market categories such as: frames, sunglasses, spectacle lenses, readers, refractive surgery, contact lenses, as well as consumer attitudes and behavior patterns regarding eye exams and purchases of ophthalmic products.Top-line results of the syndicated research will be published as part of BCI's regular editorial content; however the majority of information will be reserved for InSight subscribers. "This is just the beginning of what InSight will provide as a service to our members," explained VCA's Executive Vice President and CEO, Bill Thomas.