He evokes the modest lens maker in these lines from his poem "Spinoza,"

EssilorLuxottica was formed last year from the merger of French lens maker Essilor and Italian eyewear group Luxottica.

Luxottica has explored a tie-up with French lens maker Essilor, but dropped it for reasons including shareholding governance issues.

The company has teamed up with contact lens maker Bausch and Lomb to create performance-enhancing contact lenses called MaxSight.

Valeant has been on a buying spree since 2010 and last year acquired contact lens maker Bausch & Lomb Holdings.

It will also decide whether lens maker Essilor International SA will be allowed to merge with dominant frame-maker Luxottica Group SpA.

It will also decide if lens maker Essilor International SA will be allowed to merge with dominant frame-maker Luxottica Group SpA.

A raft of smaller Taiwanese suppliers were a mixed bag, with camera lens maker Largan up 0.17 percent and touch panel supplier Wintek unchanged.

EssilorLuxottica however has pointed to the growing market clout of independent and specialist lens makers.

The sources said retailers and rival lens makers had expressed concerns to the EU competition watchdog.

Retailers and rival lens makers have voiced concerns to the EU watchdog, sources had told Reuters.

EyeMed steers people who need glasses to Luxottica retail outlets, angering rival frames and lens makers, according to industry sources.

PARIS (Reuters) - France's competition watchdog said it had raided several optical lens makers on suspicion of anti-competitive behavior.

Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute, worried that the combined company would refuse to sell to rival frame and lens makers.