History of Bausch&Lomb

When it comes to Ray-Ban, many mistakenly refer to the brand as a company. This misconception arises because few know the true owners behind the production of the world’s best glasses!

What’s more, while the public remained unaware, Ray-Ban managed to change ownership from Bausch&Lomb to Luxottica. The first of these is the subject of this article.

An Immigrant Saw the World

The story of this significant company began when John Jacob Bausch, having moved from Germany to the U.S., opened a small optical goods store in Rochester, New York, in 1853.



However, the company with the now well-known name Bausch&Lomb might never have existed if Bausch hadn’t run out of funds for his business. The enterprising German borrowed $60 from his friend Henry Lomb, promising that if the business succeeded, Henry would become a full partner. As you might guess, it did succeed!

From Frames to Lenses

Bausch&Lomb began by producing eyewear frames made from innovative rubber. By 1883, they started manufacturing lenses, which were supplied to Eastman Kodak cameras five years later.

In 1903, the company secured patents for binoculars, camera shutters, and even microscopes. Ten years later, Bausch&Lomb began producing optical glass.

In the 1930s, the company ceased making camera parts but continued creating lenses for film cameras and projectors. Around this time, Bausch&Lomb gave birth to sunglasses brands like Ray-Ban, Arnette, Killer Loop, and Revo.



Perhaps the defining moment in the company's history came in 1971 with the development of soft lenses, which took the optical business to an entirely new level.

By 1999, Bausch&Lomb sold all of its sunglasses brands for $640 million to the Italian company Luxottica, which today dominates the industry.

There is speculation that this deal was driven by the emergence of the Oakley brand, which displaced Ray-Ban from its leading position, causing massive losses that Bausch&Lomb couldn’t overcome. However, another explanation could be the company's desire to specialize in ophthalmology (lenses, solutions, surgical devices, and pharmaceuticals).



By the 2000s, Bausch&Lomb had become a strong company with a workforce of 13,000 and annual revenue of $2.29 billion. In 2013, it was purchased by the Canadian company Valeant Pharmaceuticals for $8.7 billion.

In today’s rapidly changing environment, predicting the future of Bausch&Lomb is difficult. But one thing is certain: this is a company with a worldwide reputation, to which we can be grateful for the appearance, if not of lenses, then at least of our favorite glasses with the name Ray-Ban!