Optical distribution software: lens matrix and branches

Short answer: Optical distribution software should manage lenses as a variant matrix by sphere (SPH), cylinder (CYL) and index, frames by model and colour, and contact lenses by lot and expiry date, and it should automate branch replenishment with minimum stock rules. According to McKinsey, AI-driven forecasting can cut forecast errors by 20–50% and reduce lost sales and product unavailability by up to 65%.

Walk into an optical distributor's warehouse and you see thousands of identical-looking boxes: same brand, same index, only the dioptre differs. A branch calls: "Do you have −2.75 with a −0.50 cylinder?" and the storekeeper goes hunting along the shelves. A single lens type splits into hundreds, sometimes thousands, of variants. This article looks at how optical distribution software handles that matrix, how to control branch replenishment and contact lens expiry, and what changes after automation, with sources and lessons from Deep Vision's project for Optika.uz.

Why is an optical distributor harder to run than ordinary wholesale?

In optics the difficulty is not the number of product types but the way each lens type splits into hundreds of variants by dioptre. Demand is huge: according to the World Health Organization, at least 2.2 billion people have near or distance vision impairment, 88.4 million have uncorrected distance vision due to refractive error, and 826 million have uncorrected near vision (WHO, 2026). That means steady demand for spectacle lenses, frames and contact lenses.

The distributor's main challenges:

Lens matrix: one lens model is a set of sphere, cylinder and index combinations.
Frames: thousands of items by model, colour and size, and fashion moves fast.
Contact lenses and solutions: they expire, and expired stock cannot be sold.
Branches and dealers: it is unclear which dioptres to send to each location, and how many.
Prescription orders: custom lenses that are not in stock are ordered from a lab and must stay linked to the customer.

We explain the difference between an item code and a SKU in what is a SKU.

How does optical distribution software manage a lens matrix?

A lens matrix is a set of variants inside one lens model (template), built from attributes such as SPH, CYL and index. In Odoo each attribute is created once and the values you need are attached to the model. Every variant has its own barcode and stock level.

An illustrative example of how quickly the matrix grows: sphere from −10.00 to +6.00 in 0.25 steps gives 65 values, cylinder from 0 to −4.00 gives 17, plus 3 indices and 3 coatings. Result: 65 × 17 × 3 × 3 = 9,945 possible variants. You do not need to stock them all, but the system must tell every one of them apart.

Practical solutions:

Odoo can create variants "dynamically": a variant appears only when it is first sold or purchased, so the database does not fill up with thousands of empty records.
Purchase and stock reports can be shown as a matrix: which dioptres sell fast and which sit for years.
Axis is usually not held in stock; it is specified on a custom prescription order, handled as a lab order.

The most common mistake we see with this kind of business is creating each dioptre as a separate product with the numbers in its name. Search slows down and there is no way to report on the model as a whole.

How can branch replenishment be automated?

Each branch is set up as its own warehouse and replenished from the central one. For fast-moving dioptres, each branch gets minimum and maximum stock rules. When stock falls below the minimum, the system creates a transfer request from the central warehouse by itself.

As a result:

Branch managers no longer phone in orders; transfers are created automatically.
Stock that is not moving in one branch is transferred to another.
Management sees sales, stock and turnover for every branch in one report.

More on warehouse processes in Odoo Inventory: digital warehouse management. For wholesale to dealers, see Odoo ERP for wholesale.

How do you track a custom prescription lens order?

A lens that is not in stock (for example, a toric lens with a specific axis or a progressive lens) is ordered from a lab or supplier based on the customer's prescription. In the system it runs as a purchase order linked to the sales order:

Prescription data (SPH, CYL, axis, PD) is attached to the order.
The supplier order is created automatically and its status is tracked: ordered, in transit, received.
When the lens arrives, branch staff get a notification and call the customer.

So the answer to "where is my order?" comes from the system, not from a notebook.

How should contact lens expiry be controlled?

FEFO (First Expired, First Out) is the rule that the lot with the earliest expiry date is sold first. Contact lenses and solutions are received with a lot number and expiry date. When picking, the system proposes the lot that expires soonest and warns in advance about stock nearing its expiry date.

On digital marking: according to the Tax Committee's page, marking of medicines and medical devices has applied since 1 September 2022 (gov.uz). Check on aslbelgisi.uz whether your contact lenses fall into that group. Deep Vision has a ready-made Odoo module for Asl Belgisi.

What changes after automation: in numbers

Forecast accuracy: McKinsey estimates that AI-driven forecasting in supply chains can reduce errors by 20–50% (McKinsey, 2022).
Out-of-stocks: according to the same source, lost sales and product unavailability can fall by up to 65%, and warehousing costs by 5–10% (McKinsey, 2022).
Administration costs: the same study notes a 25–40% reduction in administration costs (McKinsey, 2022).
Cost of inventory distortion: IHL Group estimates that out-of-stocks and overstocks cost global retail 7.2% of sales in 2023 (Retail TouchPoints, 2023); accurate stock by dioptre and automatic replenishment work directly against that loss.
A basis for forecasting: to get these results you first need sales history for every variant in one system; if the matrix is not kept properly, there is nothing to forecast from.

How does Deep Vision approach optical businesses?

Deep Vision implemented Odoo ERP for Optika.uz. According to the case in our portfolio, sales and warehouse work had largely been done by hand; the project brought sales, warehouse and accounting into one system, strengthened control over product movement and made reporting simpler (Optika.uz case).

Deep Vision is an official Odoo Gold Partner in Tashkent. Odoo's partner page lists 7 certified experts and 24 client references, mostly in wholesale, retail and manufacturing, with 89% customer retention (Odoo partner page). The team of Deep Vision's founder Amon Olimov translated Odoo into Uzbek, so branch staff can work in their own language.

Typical stages of an optics project:

Analysing the catalogue of lenses, frames and contact lenses and agreeing attribute and naming rules.
Setting up the central warehouse, branches and minimum stock rules.
Launching POS, sales and prescription orders: standard sales and inventory are often live within 6–8 weeks.
Adding reporting and dealer workflows; a full rollout usually takes 2–6 months.

For the shop side, read Odoo POS for retail. About the service: Odoo implementation. To get a plan for your optical business, send us a brief.

Frequently asked questions

Does an optical business need a separate specialised system?

Not necessarily. Odoo's variants, multiple warehouses, and lot and expiry tracking cover most of what optics needs. Specifics such as prescriptions and lab orders are added through configuration.

Won't thousands of lens variants slow the system down?

If variants are created dynamically, the database holds only the combinations actually used. Searching by barcode or attributes takes seconds.

Does the system decide which dioptres to send to branches?

Yes, transfer requests are created automatically from minimum and maximum stock rules. The rules should be reviewed regularly against sales history.

How do we track contact lens expiry?

Receive stock with lot and expiry date and switch on the FEFO rule. The system issues the soonest-expiring lot first and warns you in advance.

How long does implementation take?

Standard sales and inventory are often live in 6–8 weeks, and a full project takes 2–6 months, depending on catalogue size and number of branches.

Sources

Ready to bring order to your optical distribution? Send us a brief or call +998 77 093 00 07.

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