25 Years of Vision. A Future Still in Focus.
As VisionPlus celebrates its Silver Jubilee, it marks more than twenty-five years of publishing
Twenty-five years ago, the eyewear industry looked very different. Eyewear was still largely viewed as a necessity rather than an expression of personal style. Fashion and eyewear existed in separate conversations, while the growing influence of design, international brands and changing consumer tastes was beginning to reshape the category. The industry was evolving, creating an opportunity to see eyewear differently—not simply as an optical product, but as an intersection of vision, fashion, design, technology and lifestyle.
That belief became the foundation of VisionPlus.
As the magazine celebrates its Silver Jubilee this month, it is not simply marking another anniversary. It is celebrating a journey that has evolved alongside the eyewear industry itself. Every edition has reflected changing trends, emerging brands, retail developments and technological progress, while giving eyewear the fashion-led platform it deserved.
For twenty-five years, VisionPlus has remained committed to one purpose—to inform, inspire and empower the optical and eyewear community while celebrating eyewear through a fashion-forward lens.
A Magazine is Born
The story of VisionPlus began with a simple observation: eyewear deserved to be seen differently.
While working with eyewear manufacturers and distributors, Mr Siraj Bolar, Editor-in-Chief, recognised an industry where healthcare, fashion, technology and craftsmanship were converging. He saw an opportunity for a publication that could explore eyewear beyond function—as an expression of style, identity and innovation.
An early opportunity to create such a publication never moved forward, so he decided to take the idea ahead himself. With editorial expertise, design capabilities and production all under one roof, the vision suddenly seemed possible.
In 2000, OpticPlus was launched.
It was created not simply as another industry publication, but as a magazine that approached eyewear through a distinctly fashion-led perspective. It brought together brands, trends, design, retail, technology and the people shaping the category.
In doing so, it established a new space in the market. The first editions were supported by brands and businesses that believed in the vision, but it was the editorial content that gave the magazine its identity.
It explored trends, design, craftsmanship, brands, technology and the business of eyewear with credibility and purpose. The response from the industry was immediate.
Readers saw a publication that understood their profession while recognising the importance of eyewear fashion and design. Brands found a platform to tell their stories beyond product specifications, while retailers discovered insights into an increasingly style-conscious consumer.
Issue after issue, the magazine earned something far more valuable than circulation.
It earned trust.
Growing with
the Industry
The growth of VisionPlus closely mirrored the transformation of the eyewear industry itself.
As organised retail gained momentum, international brands entered India and consumers became increasingly fashion-conscious, the magazine documented the changing face of eyewear.
It reported on emerging trends, new materials and lens technologies. It explored changing retail practices, highlighted evolving consumer behaviour and celebrated businesses that dared to think differently.
As the industry embraced digital diagnostics, customised dispensing, premium eyewear and new retail experiences, VisionPlus continued to explore the category from multiple perspectives.
Over the years, the magazine became a trusted companion for opticians, optometrists, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, designers and eyewear enthusiasts who wanted to stay ahead of an industry where fashion, technology and vision were becoming increasingly interconnected.
Beyond Borders
The VisionPlus story took another significant turn during a visit to Dubai.
Mr Bolar recognised an opportunity to take the VisionPlus vision into the Middle East’s expanding eyewear market.
VisionPlus Arabia was launched, followed by VisionPlus SE Asia, extending the publication’s reach across international markets. OpticPlus was reintroduced under the VisionPlus name, bringing the editions together under one identity.
The publication had evolved into something much larger than its founders
had imagined.
It had become an international voice for eyewear, one that continued to connect the optical profession with the worlds of fashion, design, business and innovation.
More Than a Magazine
Publishing was never the final destination. As the industry evolved, VisionPlus recognised that professionals needed opportunities to learn, connect and celebrate excellence. They needed opportunities to learn, connect and celebrate excellence.
That philosophy led to the creation of an entire ecosystem around the VisionPlus brand. The VP Awards recognised outstanding achievement in eyewear, retail and innovation.
The release of Visionaries celebrated the pioneers whose work transformed the optical and eyewear profession.
VP Academy created new opportunities for education and professional development, first in India and later in Dubai.
VisionPlus EXPO brought together global brands, buyers and industry leaders under one roof, while the VisionPlus Premier League reminded everyone that industries are built not only through business relationships, but through friendships and shared experiences.
You&Eye Magazine, the consumer-facing extension of VisionPlus, brought the world of eyewear, fashion, lifestyle and trends directly to consumers.
In 2026, the VisionPlus Podcast extended these conversations into the digital space, giving industry leaders and visionaries a platform to share their stories, insights and perspectives with a wider audience. From professionals to consumers, from print to digital, VisionPlus continues to expand its vision while staying true to the belief
that eyewear is more than what you see—it is
what you express.
A Legacy of Trust
Success can be measured through awards, events, circulation and business growth. But perhaps VisionPlus’s greatest achievement is something less tangible: trust.
For twenty-five years, the magazine has been welcomed into optical stores, boardrooms, clinics and manufacturing facilities across the region. Its pages have celebrated eyewear, documented industry milestones and provided a platform for ideas.
Generations of professionals have grown alongside the publication. Some appeared in its earliest editions as young entrepreneurs. Today, they lead some of the industry’s most respected organisations. That continuity is built through consistency.
The Next Chapter
As VisionPlus celebrates its Silver Jubilee, the eyewear industry stands at the threshold of change. Artificial intelligence is reshaping diagnostics. Digital retail is redefining customer expectations. Sustainability is influencing design and manufacturing, while smart eyewear is opening new possibilities.
For VisionPlus, the mission remains unchanged—to tell the industry’s stories with honesty, insight and purpose, while championing eyewear as a world of fashion, innovation and possibility.
Every edition has captured a moment in the industry’s evolution. The next twenty-five years will bring more stories to tell. As VisionPlus celebrates 25 Visionary Years of Shaping the Optical Industry, it does so with gratitude to every reader, advertiser, partner and professional who has been part of the journey.
The first chapter began with a simple belief—that eyewear deserved to be seen differently. Twenty-five years later, that vision has become a legacy.
And the story is only beginning.
