70+ years of clinical scaling and optical retail mastery.
We pair high-yield optical retail with clinical excellence to maximize your practice income.
Independents shouldn't have to choose between clinical integrity and retail performance.
Consolidators solved retail optical by standardising it. Independents can't copy that, and shouldn't want to.
What makes this work is the pairing: one side has engineered the environment in thousands of practices, the other has owned the P&L and taken a practice group through to acquisition. Neither is enough alone.
Who you actually work with.
Mani Vaghedi
Optical retail strategist · practice designer
Mani has spent more than thirty years planning, designing and engineering the physical environments eyecare practices sell from — and teaching ECPs across the United States and Canada how to use them. He began in the early 1990s building Optic-Video, one of the first video imaging systems that let opticians educate patients and present premium eyewear on the floor, years before digital display became standard.
After a decade at Intel advising Fortune 500 companies on technology integration and operational efficiency, he founded CNS in 2003 to close a gap he had watched persist: independent practices had no purpose-built display environments, no spatial strategy, and no practical retail framework for capturing optical revenue. CNS grew into North America's leading provider of eyecare display systems and practice furniture, with work in thousands of optical practices worldwide.
Essilor acquired a majority stake in 2013 and Mani joined to lead its retail infrastructure and design initiatives internationally. When the 2018 EssilorLuxottica merger shifted corporate priorities, he bought his shares back — returning CNS to full independence so that independent practitioners kept a partner whose interests stayed aligned with theirs.
- 30+ years
- Planning, designing and educating across North America
- Thousands
- Of optical practices reached through CNS environments worldwide
- 2003
- Founded CNS; returned it to independence in 2018
- 4 degrees
- Chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, information systems management
Dr. David H. Hettler, OD
Diplomate, American Board of Optometry
Dr. Hettler brings four decades of clinical practice and the full arc of practice ownership — startup, expansion, and exit. He graduated with honors from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1984 and went on to become a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, building a reputation across comprehensive exams, contact lens fitting and ocular disease management.
Drs. May, Hettler & Associates operated 7 highly profitable locations across Northern Virginia in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area prior to exiting to EyeCare Partners (Clarkson Eyecare). Locations: Alexandria, Falls Church, Franconia, Fredericksburg, Lake Ridge, Manassas and Sterling. The group's performance made it a target for consolidation, and Dr. Hettler negotiated and completed its sale to EyeCare Partners, operating regionally as Clarkson Eyecare, then served as Regional Medical Director through the integration.
He was named Virginia Optometrist of the Year and served as President of the Virginia Board of Optometry and of his local optometric society. On engagements he leads the clinical side of the diagnosis: patient flow, exam-lane capacity, capture rate, staff structure, and — for owners thinking about an exit — what a buyer will actually underwrite.
- 40+ years
- Clinical practice and practice ownership
- 7 locations
- Multi-site group built and scaled in Northern Virginia
- Full exit
- Sale to EyeCare Partners; Regional Medical Director post-close
- Past President
- Virginia Board of Optometry · Virginia Optometrist of the Year
What makes this different from a rep with a floor plan.
Both sides of the counter
One partner has engineered the selling environment in thousands of practices. The other has owned the P&L and exited a multi-site group. Most advisors have one or the other.
Retail-first, clinically fluent
We treat the dispensary as specialty retail, because that is what it is — but the recommendations are made by people who understand exam-lane throughput and disease management, not just square footage.
We stay through implementation
Plans that stop at recommendation don't get implemented. We see the work through, whether we are delivering it or coordinating the specialists who are.
Two partners, and the specialists each engagement needs.
Financial
Dr. Hettler leads on practice economics and operating performance. Mani leads on facility and optical investment analysis.
Specialist support: CPA or financial analyst where required.
Insurance, RCM and credentialing
Dr. Hettler leads as advisory lead and practice liaison.
Specialist support: RCM and credentialing specialists for technical work and execution.
Staffing and HR
Dr. Hettler leads on practice staffing and clinical workflows. Mani leads on optical team training and retail performance.
Specialist support: HR specialists for employment policies and administration.
Marketing
Mani leads on strategy and coordination with Optical Retail Marketing.
Specialist support: marketing delivery team for campaigns, websites, reporting and AI visibility.
Specialist support is identified and agreed during scoping. Arrangements vary by engagement.
Transparent recommendations and disclosed relationships
ORC is affiliated with CNS Frame Displays and Optical Retail Marketing. Our recommendations may include products or services from these affiliated businesses. We disclose relevant affiliations and any referral compensation, explain the basis for our recommendations, and leave purchasing decisions with the client.