LensCrafters has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Luxottica (which has since merged with Essilor to form EssilorLuxottica),[1] the largest eyewear company in the world, since 1995.

[5][6][7][8] Butler first developed the idea for a "while you wait" eyeglass retailer after helping a Procter & Gamble colleague produce television commercials for a family optical business in the late 1970s.

[5] LensCrafters achieved sales of $2 million in its first year of operation[9] before Butler sold the company to the United States Shoe Corporation in 1984.

[12] In 1992, LensCrafters surpassed Pearle Vision to become the largest chain of eyeglass retailers in the United States, with roughly $660 million in annual revenue.

[15] Though most locations can still provide glasses and frames same-day, that line of business has become de-emphasized over time for the luxury market.