Wed Mar 2, 2011 12:44am EST

* Net profit rises 18 pct to 462 mln euros
* Sales to grow 6-8 pct at constant exchange rates in 2011
* Proposes to raise dividend by 18.6 pct to 0.83 euros/share

(Adds details from statement)

PARIS, March 2 (Reuters) - Essilor International (ESSI.PA) expects to keep its profitability at a high level this year and forecast sales growth of 6 to 8 percent thanks to an improving world economy and an ageing population requiring corrective eye lenses.

The world's largest maker of corrective eye lenses said on Wednesday it planned to speed up its development in fast-growing and developed markets while continuing to expand in the mid-range segment around the world.
Net profit last year grew 18.2 percent to 462 million euros ($638.3 million), on sales up 19.1 percent at 3.89 billion euros

The figures compared with the average outcome for net profit of 459 million euros and sales of 3.834 billion euros in a Reuters poll among 19 analysts. [ID:nLDE7200VZ]