Stanton Optical opens new Hot Springs eye care center

Stanton Optical has opened a new location at 1384 Higdon Ferry Rd. in Hot Springs, marking its fifth store in Arkansas and expanding same-day eye exams, glasses and contact lens service in the area. The opening adds a redesigned store format, on-site lab service and expanded clinical options as Now Optics continues growing its national footprint.

Why it matters: - Stanton Optical is adding affordable, same-day eye care in Hot Springs, giving local patients another option for exams, glasses and contacts. - The opening expands the brand’s Arkansas footprint to five locations and supports Now Optics’ broader push to grow access to vision care across more than 300 stores nationwide. - The store combines retail, clinical care and on-site lens production in one visit, which can shorten the time between eye exam and pickup.

What happened: - Stanton Optical opened a new location at 1384 Higdon Ferry Rd., Suite A, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. - The store offers walk-in visits and same-day online appointments. - The company described the opening as its newest location and fifth store in Arkansas. - Store hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. - The store phone number is (501) 274-4374. - More information is available on Stanton Optical’s website.

The details: - Customers can choose from more than 1,000 frame options after their exam. - The store carries leading contact lens brands. - Single-vision glasses can be ready in as little as 30 minutes because of the on-site lab. - The 2-Pair Bundles start at $79 and include two frames with warranty, single-vision plastic lenses and a free eye exam. - Stanton Optical says the offers are available the same day. - Eye exams are performed by independent doctors affiliated with Physicians Eyecare Group. - The clinic setup includes optical coherence tomography. - Free dry eye screenings and treatment options are also available. - The new store design features expanded clinical services and eye health solutions. - The location includes spacious frame displays, comfortable seating areas and a kid-friendly interactive area. - The store is less than 3.5 miles from Bathhouse Row and is walkable from other major retailers. - Now Optics was founded in 2006 and is the largest founder-owned and operated optical retailer in the U.S. - Now Optics operates more than 300 locations across 33 states.

Between the lines: - The Hot Springs opening shows how optical retail is shifting toward faster service, fewer touchpoints and more care delivered in a single stop. - The redesigned store format suggests Stanton Optical is trying to make the exam-to-purchase process feel more like a guided retail experience. - The emphasis on same-day service, low entry pricing and family-friendly design points to a strategy aimed at convenience-minded shoppers.

What's next: - Now Optics says it will continue expanding access to quality vision care, including in remote and underserved communities. - Stanton Optical’s national network gives the company room to keep adding locations and standardizing the same-day care model. - The company’s next growth step will likely focus on pairing clinical services with faster fulfillment and broader retail access.

The bottom line: - Stanton Optical is betting that affordable eye exams, quick turnaround and a modern store experience can pull more patients into its expanding Arkansas and national network.