How Luxottica transformed glasses from medical device to face fashion

In 2017, Italian eyewear behemoth Luxottica announced a merger with Essilor, a French lenses manufacturer. The $49 billion merger furthered Luxottica's entrance into all facets of eyewear, from design, to manufacturing, to retail. Though the merger was approved by several major international trade commissions, including the U.S.' FTC, some antitrust experts question if the move will help consumers, or entrench the industry standard in which glasses cost hundreds of dollars.