====================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   -----------


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



        DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported): April 14, 2003


                              EMERGING VISION, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         New York                      1-14128                  11-3096941
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
     of incorporation)                                      Identification No.)


                         100 Quentin Roosevelt Boulevard
                           Garden City, New York 11530
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (516) 390-2100
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)






      ====================================================================

<PAGE>

Item 5. Other Events


     Emerging  Vision,  Inc.  issued a press release on April 24, 2003 regarding
the announcement of the completion of its shareholder rights offering, a copy of
which is attached as Exhibit  99.1  hereto.  The press  release is  incorporated
herein by reference.


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

(a) and (b) Not Applicable.

(c) The following exhibit is filed with this report:

Exhibit No.       Document

     99.1 Press Release, dated April 24, 2003, with respect to the completion of
the  Registrant's  rights offering of shares of its common stock and warrants to
purchase additional shares of common stock.








                          [Signature on following page]

<PAGE>




                                    SIGNATURE


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                       EMERGING VISION, INC.


                                       By:   /s/ Christopher G. Payan
                                          -----------------------------------
                                       Name:  Christopher G. Payan
                                       Title: Senior Vice President,
                                              Co-Chief Operating Officer and
                                              Chief Financial Officer


Date:    April 25, 2003



<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit No.       Document

     99.1 Press Release, dated April 24, 2003, with respect to the completion of
the  Registrant's  rights offering of shares of its common stock and warrants to
purchase additional shares of common stock.




<PAGE>

                                                                EXHIBIT NO. 99.1


                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                              EMERGING VISION, INC.
                   ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF ITS RIGHTS OFFERING

     Garden City, New York (Business  Wire) - April 24, 2003 - Emerging  Vision,
Inc.  (OTCBB:  ISEE.OB) today announced the completion of its rights offering to
holders of its  outstanding  common stock as of February 25, 2003.  The offering
involved  50,000,000  units,  each  composed of one newly issued share of common
stock and a 12-month warrant to purchase one additional share of common stock at
an  exercise  price of $0.05  per  share,  for a  maximum  aggregate  amount  of
$2,000,000.

     The  subscription  period  ended April 14, 2003.  Approximately  92,700,000
units  were  subscribed  for in  the  offering.  As a  result  of the  offering,
50,000,000  new  shares of common  stock and  warrants  to  purchase  50,000,000
additional  shares of common stock were issued,  resulting in gross  proceeds of
$2,000,000.


About Emerging Vision

     Emerging Vision,  Inc. operates one of the largest chains of retail optical
stores and one of the largest  franchised  optical  chains in the United States,
with approximately 186 franchised and Company-owned stores located in 23 states,
the  District  of  Columbia,  Ontario,  Canada  and  the  U.S.  Virgin  Islands,
principally  operating  under the names  "Sterling  Optical"  and "Site for Sore
Eyes".

     THIS STATEMENT MAY CONTAIN CERTAIN  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS,  WHICH MAY
INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES,  AND OTHER FACTORS NOT UNDER THE
COMPANY'S CONTROL, WHICH MAY CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS,  PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS
OF THE COMPANY TO BE  MATERIALLY  DIFFERENT  FROM THE RESULTS,  PERFORMANCE,  OR
EXPECTATIONS  OF THE COMPANY.  THESE  FACTORS  INCLUDE,  BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO,
THOSE  DETAILED  IN THE  COMPANY'S  PERIODIC  FILINGS  WITH THE  SECURITIES  AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION.

------------------------------------
Contact:

Emerging Vision, Inc.
Christopher G. Payan
(516) 390-2134
chris.payan@sterlingoptical.com
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "EMERGING VISION INC", "cik": "0001002554", "assigned-sic": "5990", "irs-number": "113096941", "state-of-incorporation": "NY", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-14128", "film-number": "03663783"}, "business-address": {"street1": "100 QUENTIN ROOSEVELT BLVD", "street2": "SUITE 508", "city": "GARDEN CITY", "state": "NY", "zip": "11530", "phone": "6462233600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "100 QUENTIN ROOSEVELT BLVD", "street2": "SUITE 508", "city": "GARDEN CITY", "state": "NY", "zip": "10018"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "STERLING VISION INC", "date-changed": "19951020"}}
====================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   -----------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

        DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported): April 14, 2003

                              EMERGING VISION, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         New York                      1-14128                  11-3096941
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
     of incorporation)                                      Identification No.)

                         100 Quentin Roosevelt Boulevard
                           Garden City, New York 11530
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (516) 390-2100
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

      ====================================================================
Item 5. Other Events

     Emerging  Vision,  Inc.  issued a press release on April 24, 2003 regarding
the announcement of the completion of its shareholder rights offering, a copy of
which is attached as Exhibit  99.1  hereto.  The press  release is  incorporated
herein by reference.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

(a) and (b) Not Applicable.

(c) The following exhibit is filed with this report:

Exhibit No.       Document

     99.1 Press Release, dated April 24, 2003, with respect to the completion of
the  Registrant's  rights offering of shares of its common stock and warrants to
purchase additional shares of common stock.

                          [Signature on following page]
SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       EMERGING VISION, INC.

                                       By:   /s/ Christopher G. Payan
                                          -----------------------------------
                                       Name:  Christopher G. Payan
                                       Title: Senior Vice President,
                                              Co-Chief Operating Officer and
                                              Chief Financial Officer

Date:    April 25, 2003
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.       Document

     99.1 Press Release, dated April 24, 2003, with respect to the completion of
the  Registrant's  rights offering of shares of its common stock and warrants to
purchase additional shares of common stock.
EXHIBIT NO. 99.1

                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                              EMERGING VISION, INC.
                   ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF ITS RIGHTS OFFERING

     Garden City, New York (Business  Wire) - April 24, 2003 - Emerging  Vision,
Inc.  (OTCBB:  ISEE.OB) today announced the completion of its rights offering to
holders of its  outstanding  common stock as of February 25, 2003.  The offering
involved  50,000,000  units,  each  composed of one newly issued share of common
stock and a 12-month warrant to purchase one additional share of common stock at
an  exercise  price of $0.05  per  share,  for a  maximum  aggregate  amount  of
$2,000,000.

     The  subscription  period  ended April 14, 2003.  Approximately  92,700,000
units  were  subscribed  for in  the  offering.  As a  result  of the  offering,
50,000,000  new  shares of common  stock and  warrants  to  purchase  50,000,000
additional  shares of common stock were issued,  resulting in gross  proceeds of
$2,000,000.

About Emerging Vision

     Emerging Vision,  Inc. operates one of the largest chains of retail optical
stores and one of the largest  franchised  optical  chains in the United States,
with approximately 186 franchised and Company-owned stores located in 23 states,
the  District  of  Columbia,  Ontario,  Canada  and  the  U.S.  Virgin  Islands,
principally  operating  under the names  "Sterling  Optical"  and "Site for Sore
Eyes".

     THIS STATEMENT MAY CONTAIN CERTAIN  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS,  WHICH MAY
INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES,  AND OTHER FACTORS NOT UNDER THE
COMPANY'S CONTROL, WHICH MAY CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS,  PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS
OF THE COMPANY TO BE  MATERIALLY  DIFFERENT  FROM THE RESULTS,  PERFORMANCE,  OR
EXPECTATIONS  OF THE COMPANY.  THESE  FACTORS  INCLUDE,  BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO,
THOSE  DETAILED  IN THE  COMPANY'S  PERIODIC  FILINGS  WITH THE  SECURITIES  AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION.

------------------------------------
Contact:

Emerging Vision, Inc.
Christopher G. Payan
(516) 390-2134
chris.payan@sterlingoptical.com