PRESS RELEASE

Nine-Month 2005 Sales Further Growth in the Third Quarter ------3 Acquisitions

Charenton-le-Pont, France (October 20, 2005) -- , the world leader in ophthalmic , today announced its consolidated sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2005:

€ millions Sept. 30, 2005 Sept. 30, 2004 % Change IFRS IFRS (reported) Sales 1,803.1 1,665.2 + 8.3%

Sales rose 11.4% in the third quarter, of which 3.5% from acquisitions and 1.6% from a positive currency effect. Like-for-like growth was 6.2% for the quarter. This strong performance lifted growth for the first nine months of the year to 5.2% like-for-like, compared with 4.7% in the first half. Companies acquired in 2004 and 2005 accounted for 3.3% of the nine-month growth, while the currency effect was a slightly negative 0.2%.

Sales by region € millions Sept. 30, Sept. 30, % Change % Change 2005 2004 (reported) (like-for-like) IFRS IFRS Europe 833.5 801.7 + 4.0% + 2.3% North America 764.1 693.8 + 10.1% + 6.4% Asia-Pacific 149.2 129.8 + 15.0% + 12.2% Latin America 56.3 39.9 + 41.1% + 21.5% *At constant scope of consolidation and exchange rates In the third quarter, business was very strong in North America, Asia and Latin America, driving like-for-like gains of respectively 7.3%, 14.2% and 24.9%, while in Europe, a 2.8% like-for-like increase sustained the upward trend observed since the second quarter.

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Growth continued to be led by progressive , especially the Varilux® line, the new generation of Transitions® photochromic lenses and the Crizal® Alizé™ anti-reflective lenses. In addition, September saw the launch of the new Essilor® Anti-Fatigue™ unifocal, whose innovative design makes it more comfortable for non-presbyopic adults to wear.

Outlook Essilor expects consolidated sales to end the year up by 8-9%, excluding the currency effect, with an improvement in profitability compared with 2004.

Three new acquisitions France Essilor has completed the acquisition of the business assets and goodwill of OMI, its exclusive distributor in the French West Indies (Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana). OMI is a long-standing partner with €7 million in sales and a prescription laboratory in Guadeloupe. The acquisition has strengthened Essilor’s local presence through its flagship Varilux® and Crizal® brands.

North America Essilor has acquired an 80% interest in MGM, a based prescription laboratory and Varilux® distributor with $2 million in sales. It has also acquired the assets of Canada’s Optical Software Inc., which makes prescription laboratory management software and has $1.2 million in sales.

------Essilor International is the world leader in ophthalmic optical products, offering a wide range of lenses under the flagship Varilux®, Crizal®, Airwear® and Essilor® brands to correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Essilor operates worldwide through 16 production sites, 190 lens finishing laboratories and local distribution networks. The Essilor share trades on the Euronext Paris market and is part of the benchmark CAC 40 index (ISIN: FR 0000121667; Reuters: ESSI.PA; Bloomberg: EF FP). ------Investor Relations and Financial Communication Véronique Gillet Phone: + 33 0 (1) 49 77 42 16

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