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VSP Vision Care

Vision Service Plan, doing business as VSP Vision Care, is a vision care health insurance company operating in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. It is structured as a doctor-governed organization and operates through five main businesses: eye care insurance, eyewear, lenses and lens enhancements, ophthalmic technology, and services designed to strengthen the relationship between patients and their eye doctors. As of 2017, VSP served approximately 80–85 million members worldwide and is the largest vision insurance provider in the United States.

The company was founded in September 1955 by a group of optometrists in Oakland, California as California Vision Services, a nonprofit organization. It grew to became a national provider and expanded internationally by 2007. In 2003, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revoked VSP’s tax-exempt status, citing exclusionary, members-only practices and high executive compensation.

In late 2007, VSP began to venture into Canada where it had served only Canadian-based employees of U.S. firms. By 2012, VSP covered approximately 2,000 Canadians. In 2013, VSP Vision Care Canada entered into a partnership with FYidoctors, a private, optometry-owned eyecare provider with more than 400 optometrists at 212 locations throughout Canada. VSP would market, sell and administer its vision care insurance platform to employers across Canada.

In 2013, VSP expanded to the United Kingdom and Ireland, doing business as VSP Neighbourhood Eyecare, similar to the Australia and Canada ventures. VSP partnered with the Association of Optometrists (AOP), National Eyecare Group (NEG); the U.K. branch of Italy's Assicurazioni General S.p.A. insurance provider, Generali U.K.; and Thomsons Online Benefits, which specializes in helping companies around the world run their employee benefits programs.

In July 2008, VSP announced its acquisition of the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based Ultra Lens lab and partnered with the optical lab Perfect Optics in California.

In August 2008, VSP acquired the Melville, New York company Marchon Eyewear Inc. for $735 million with a combination of cash and debt after receiving regulatory approval from the California Department of Managed Care and the Connecticut Department of Insurance. The VSP-owned Altair Eyewear became a division of Marchon and remains in its Rancho Cordova headquarters. VSP also gained ownership of the frame company Allure Eyewear, as well as OfficeMate Software Solutions. Marchon manufactures and sells branded and proprietary eyewear and sunwear for such brands as Calvin Klein Collection, Calvin Klein platinum, Calvin Klein Jeans, Columbia Sportswear, Converse, Cutler and Gross, Donna Karan, Dragon, Flexon, Lacoste, Liu·Jo, Longchamp, Marchon NYC, Marni, MCM Worldwide, Nautica, Nike, Nine West, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sean John, Skaga, and Victoria Beckham. Under the terms of the acquisition, Marchon became a wholly owned subsidiary. Marchon operates from its New York-based headquarters as an independent entity within the VSP organization.

In 2019, VSP acquired Visionworks, an optical retailer in the U.S.

In September 2025, VSP agreed to buy Italian eyewear manufacturer Marcolin from PAI Partners and minority shareholders. In December 2025, it was announced the acquisition had been completed.

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