With more than 48 000 employees in some 100 countries, Essilor operates 19 plants, a total of 390 prescription laboratories (lenses finishing) as well as several research and development centers around the world.

In 2011, Essilor reported consolidated revenue of €4.2 billion.

Within the Institut de la Vision, Essilor is positioned as a real research partner. The Group, and more specifically its Research & Development teams, is involved in the research works of 3 main entities:

• The vision and vision ageing laboratory which new knowledge will benefit to the development of Essilor new products.
• The Descartes Consortium
  The Consortium is composed of six main partners: Essilor, the Vision Institute, Visiotact, MicroOLED, Probayes and CNRS. It is dedicated to low vision research and is aimed to provide an innovative offer of preventive, palliative and curative solutions covering the whole low vision value chain: diagnosis, treatments, prosthesis and rehabilitation. Essilor coordinates the Descartes Consortium that is led by Thierry Villette, head of the R&D Neuro-bio-sensory department and Denis Cohen-Tannoudji, R&D Disruptive Vice President.
• The Silversight Chair, which wants to catalyze progress in both fundamental research and innovative transfer.

More information: www.essilor.com