Factory Optical in Vancouver: A Legacy of Optical Craft Since 1980

Welcome to Factory Optical, the original Factory Optical in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Factory Optical (1980) Ltd. has been part of the Vancouver optical community for decades. Since its founding in 1980, the company has built a reputation not just as a place to buy glasses, but as a place where optical craft, hands-on learning, and in-house lab expertise come together.

From the beginning, Factory Optical operated across retail, wholesale, and in-house lab work, which was uncommon even by Vancouver standards at the time. This structure allowed opticians to understand the full lifecycle of eyewear—from prescription and fitting to lens surfacing and final adjustments. That hands-on approach continues to define how we work today across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Factory Optical was founded by Josef Lachkovics, a Viennese-trained optician whose background reflected the long European tradition of optical apprenticeship. His training emphasized precision, discipline, and a deep understanding of optics—values that helped shape modern opticianry. When this tradition arrived in Vancouver, it brought with it a culture where learning the craft mattered as much as delivering the final product.

For many who joined Factory Optical over the years, working here was more than a job. It was an opportunity to learn through real lab work and real-world problem solving. Optical work requires judgment that can’t be learned from textbooks alone—how prescriptions behave outside the exam room, how magnification and lens design affect comfort, and how small adjustments can change the wearing experience. This is why mentorship and apprenticeship have always been central to our work in Vancouver.

In a city like Vancouver, where expectations for quality and service are high, having in-house lab expertise makes a meaningful difference. It allows for closer collaboration between opticians and technicians, faster adjustments and refinements, and a deeper understanding of how lenses perform in real-life conditions. This integrated approach has helped Factory Optical serve generations of Vancouver families.

Today, Factory Optical continues to build on the same principles that started here over forty years ago: craftsmanship, learning by doing, and respect for optical work. It’s a legacy rooted in Vancouver, shaped by global tradition, and carried forward by people who care deeply about the details.