UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 10-Q


(X)  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
     ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended     September 30, 2003
                                   ------------------

                                       OR

( )  TRANSITION  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  13 OR  15(D)  OF THE  SECURITIES
     EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from           to
                              -----------  ------------


Commission File No.      0-5265
                  -----------------


                                SCAN-OPTICS, INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Delaware                              06-0851857
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
  incorporation or organization)


169 Progress Drive, Manchester, CT                       06040
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                Zip Code

                                 (860) 645-7878
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


Indicate  by check  mark  whether  the  Registrant:  (1) has filed  all  reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days. ( X ) YES ( ) NO

Indicate  by check mark  whether  the  Registrant  is an  accelerated  filer (as
defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ( ) YES ( X ) NO

The number of shares of common stock, $.02 par value, outstanding as of November
1, 2003 was 7,439,732.


                                       1


                                              SCAN-OPTICS, INC.

                                                  FORM 10-Q

                                                  I N D E X



                                                                                                        PAGE
                                                                                                         NO.

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

                                                                                                     
Item 1.  Financial Statements....................................................................         3

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Consolidated Financial Condition
             and Results of Operations...........................................................        13

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk...............................        19

Item 4. Controls and Procedures..................................................................        19


PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K........................................................        20






                                       2






PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements.

SCAN-OPTICS, INC., AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS



(thousands, except share data)                                 September 30,    December 31,
                                                                   2003            2002
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                (UNAUDITED)
Assets
Current Assets:
                                                                           
  Cash and cash equivalents                                     $   399          $   274
  Accounts receivable less allowance of $1,080 at
    September 30, 2003 and $1,574 at December 31, 2002            6,658            5,554
  Unbilled receivables - contracts in progress                      244              377
  Inventories                                                     8,555            9,139
  Prepaid expenses and other                                      1,014              591
                                                              --------------------------
    Total current assets                                         16,870           15,935




Plant and equipment:
  Equipment                                                       3,731            8,836
  Leasehold improvements                                          4,009            5,209
  Office furniture and fixtures                                     614              725
                                                              --------------------------
                                                                  8,354           14,770
  Less allowances for depreciation and amortization               7,310           13,456
                                                              --------------------------
                                                                  1,044            1,314

Goodwill                                                          9,040            9,040
Other assets                                                        117              117
                                                              --------------------------

Total Assets                                                    $27,071          $26,406
                                                              ==========================



                                       3





                                                                           


(thousands, except share data)                               September 30,      December 31,
                                                                 2003               2002
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             (UNAUDITED)
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                                            $  2,860           $  2,454
  Notes payable                                                  1,500              1,500
  Salaries and wages                                             1,200                958
  Taxes other than income taxes                                    373                501
  Income taxes                                                      47                 45
  Customer deposits                                              1,319              1,308
  Deferred revenues                                              2,648              2,217
  Other                                                          1,647              1,669
                                                              ----------------------------
    Total current liabilities                                   11,594             10,652

 Notes payable                                                   7,989              9,042
 Other liabilities                                               1,925              1,640

Mandatory redeemable preferred stock, par value $.02
  per share, authorized 3,800,000 shares;
    3,800,000 issued and outstanding                             3,800              3,800

Stockholders' Equity
  Preferred stock, par value $.02 per share,
    authorized 1,200,000 shares; none
      issued or outstanding
  Common stock, par value $.02 per share,
    authorized 15,000,000 shares;
      issued, 7,439,732 shares at September 30, 2003
        and December 31, 2002                                      149                149
  Common stock Class A Convertible, par
    value $.02 per share, authorized 3,000,000
      shares; available for issuance 2,145,536
        shares; none issued or outstanding
  Capital in excess of par value                                38,354             38,354
  Accumulated retained earnings deficit                        (33,245)           (33,667)
  Accumulated other comprehensive loss                            (849)              (918)
                                                              ----------------------------
                                                                 4,409              3,918
  Less cost of common stock in treasury,
    413,500 shares                                               2,646              2,646
                                                              ----------------------------
      Total stockholders' equity                                 1,763              1,272
                                                              ----------------------------
  Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity                  $ 27,071           $ 26,406
                                                              ============================


See accompanying notes.



                                       4







SCAN-OPTICS, INC., AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)

                                                               Three Months Ended                   Nine Months Ended
                                                                 September 30                           September 30
(thousands, except share data)                              2003               2002               2003              2002
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revenues
                                                                                             
  Hardware and software                          $         3,451   $          2,799    $        11,752   $         9,095
  Professional services                                    1,241              1,628              3,864             4,962
  Access services                                          2,673              2,741              7,966             8,777
                                              --------------------------------------   ----------------------------------
    Total revenues                                         7,365              7,168             23,582            22,834

Costs of Revenue
  Hardware and software                                    2,410              1,785              7,348             5,999
  Professional services                                      645                754              2,097             2,182
  Access services                                          2,172              2,105              6,683             6,671
                                              --------------------------------------   ----------------------------------
    Total costs of revenue                                 5,227              4,644             16,128            14,852

        Gross Margin                                       2,138              2,524              7,454             7,982

Operating Expenses
  Sales and marketing                                        767                874              2,614             2,539
  Research and development                                   207                323                986             1,389
  General and administrative                                 900                879              2,729             2,754
  Interest                                                   185                203                667               642
                                              --------------------------------------   ----------------------------------
    Total operating expenses                               2,059              2,279              6,996             7,324
                                              --------------------------------------   ----------------------------------

Operating income                                              79                245                458               658

Other income (expense), net                                  (56)                (5)                 5                 7
                                              ---------------------------------------  ----------------------------------

Income before income taxes                                    23                240                463               665

  Income tax expense                                          11                 20                 41                61
                                              --------------------------------------   ----------------------------------

Net Income                                       $            12   $            220    $           422   $           604
                                              ======================================   ==================================

Basic earnings per share                         $          0.00   $           0.03    $          0.06   $          0.09
                                              ======================================   ==================================

Basic weighted-average common shares                   7,026,232          7,026,232          7,026,232         7,026,232

Diluted earnings per share                       $          0.00   $           0.03    $          0.05   $          0.08
                                              ======================================   ==================================

Diluted weighted-average common shares                 8,171,929          7,229,109          7,715,708         7,314,788

See accompanying notes.



                                       5







SCAN-OPTICS, INC., AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

                                                                Nine Months Ended
                                                                   September 30
(thousands)                                                   2003              2002
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operating Activities
                                                                        
  Net Income                                                $   422           $   604
  Adjustments to reconcile net income
    to net cash provided by operating activities:
    Depreciation                                                259               314
    Amortization of customer service inventory and
      software license                                        1,532             1,800
    Disposal of fixed assets                                     46
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
      Accounts receivable and unbilled receivables             (971)              377
      Inventories                                              (948)           (1,758)
      Prepaid expenses and other                               (423)              (28)
      Accounts payable                                          406              (531)
      Accrued salaries and wages                                242               (90)
      Taxes other than income taxes                            (128)             (137)
      Income taxes                                                2
      Deferred revenues                                         431               (85)
      Customer deposits                                          11               701
      Other                                                     360               246
                                                              ----------------------------
    Net cash provided by operating activities                 1,241             1,413

Investing Activities
  Purchases of plant and equipment, net                         (63)              (72)
                                                              ----------------------------
    Net cash used by investing activities                       (63)              (72)

Financing Activities
  Proceeds from borrowings                                    5,300             2,626
  Principal payments on borrowings                           (6,353)           (4,876)
                                                              ----------------------------
    Net cash used by financing activities                    (1,053)           (2,250)

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                125              (909)

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period                274             1,662
                                                              ----------------------------
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period                  $   399           $   753
                                                              ============================



See accompanying notes.


                                       6



NOTE 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
- ------

The accompanying  unaudited interim consolidated  financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim
financial  information and with the  instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of
Regulation  S-X.  Accordingly,  they do not include all of the  information  and
footnotes  required by generally  accepted  accounting  principles  for complete
financial statements. In the opinion of management,  all adjustments (consisting
of normal recurring accruals)  considered necessary for a fair presentation have
been included.  Operating  results for the nine month period ended September 30,
2003 are not necessarily  indicative of the results that may be expected for the
year  ending  December  31,  2003.  For  further   information,   refer  to  the
consolidated   financial  statements  and  footnotes  thereto  included  in  the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002.

Certain  2002  amounts  have  been  reclassified  to  conform  to  current  year
presentation.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2003, the Financial  Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Statement
of Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 150,  "Accounting for Certain  Financial
Instruments with  Characteristics  of both Liabilities and Equity" ("SFAS 150").
This  statement  establishes   standards  for  classifying  and  measuring,   as
liabilities, certain financial instruments that embody obligations of the issuer
and have  characteristics  of both  liabilities  and equity.  SFAS 150 generally
requires   liability   classification  for  financial   instruments,   including
mandatorily  redeemable  equity  instruments  and other  non-equity  instruments
requiring,  from  inception,  the repurchase by the issuer of its equity shares.
This  statement is  applicable  to the Company as of the  beginning of the first
interim  financial  reporting period beginning after June 15, 2003. The adoption
of this Statement did not have a significant  effect on the Company's  financial
position  as of  September  30,  2003 or on the  results of  operations  for the
three-month or nine-month periods ending September 30, 2003.

In May 2003,  the FASB's  Emerging  Issues Task Force defined the scope of Issue
00-21, "Revenue Arrangements With Multiple  Deliverables" ("EITF No. 00-21") and
its  interaction  with  other  authoritative   literature.   This  statement  is
applicable to agreements entered into for reporting periods beginning after June
15, 2003 and requires  companies with revenue  arrangements  including  multiple
deliverables  to be  divided  into  separate  units of  accounting  for  revenue
recognition  purposes,  if the  deliverables  in the  arrangement  meet  certain
criteria,  including  standalone  value to the customer,  objective and reliable
evidence  of  the  fair  value  of  the  undelivered  items  exists  and  if the
arrangement  includes a general right of return  relative to the delivered item,
delivery or  performance  of the  undelivered  item is  considered  probable and
substantially  in the control of the vendor.  The adoption of this Statement did
not  have  a  significant  effect  on the  Company's  financial  position  as of
September  30,  2003 or on the  results of  operations  for the  three-month  or
nine-month periods ending September 30, 2003.



                                       7



Stock Based Compensation

The Company  grants stock  options to key  employees and members of the Board of
Directors  with an  exercise  price equal to the fair value of the shares on the
date of grant.  The Company  accounts for stock option grants in accordance with
APB Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,  and, accordingly,
recognizes no compensation expense for the stock option grants.  Therefore,  the
Company has elected the disclosure provisions only of FASB Statement No. 123.

For the purpose of pro forma disclosures,  the estimated fair value of the stock
options is expensed ratably over the vesting period,  which is 36 months for key
employees and 6 months for the Board of Directors.

In December  2002, the Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board  ("FASB")  issued
Statement  of Financial  Accounting  Standards  ("SFAS")  148,  "Accounting  for
Stock-Based  Compensation--Transition  and  Disclosure".  SFAS  148  amends  the
disclosure  requirements  of SFAS 123 to require  prominent  disclosures in both
annual and  interim  financial  statements  about the method of  accounting  for
stock-based employee  compensation and the effect of the method used on reported
results. The following table illustrates the effect on net income and income per
share if the Company had applied the fair value  recognition  provisions of SFAS
No. 123:




                                                    For the three months ended         For the nine months ended
                                                           September 30                       September 30
(thousands, except per share amounts)                   2003             2002            2003              2002
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                              
Net income, as reported                          $      12           $   220          $     422           $   604
Stock option (income) expense                          (25)               28                (38)             (223)
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pro forma net income (loss)                      $     (13)          $   248          $     384           $   381
                                                 =====================================================================

Basic earnings per share, as reported            $     .00           $   .03          $     .06           $   .09
Stock option expense                                   .00               .00               (.01)             (.03)
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pro forma basic earnings per share               $     .00           $   .03          $     .05           $   .06
                                                 =====================================================================

Diluted earnings per share, as reported          $     .00           $   .03          $     .05           $   .08
Stock option expense                                   .00               .00               (.01)             (.03)
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pro forma diluted earnings per share             $     .00           $   .03          $     .04           $   .05
                                                 =====================================================================



                                       8


NOTE 2 - Inventories
- ------
The components of inventories were as follows:


                                        September 30            December  31
(thousands)                                2003                    2002
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finished goods                         $     58                 $        56
Work-in-process                           1,250                       1,325
Service parts                             3,322                       3,715
Materials and component parts             3,925                       4,043
                                       ------------------------------------
                                       $  8,555                 $     9,139
                                       ====================================



NOTE 3 - Credit Arrangements
- ------

Notes payable reflect  borrowings  under a credit agreement  ("Agreement")  with
Patriarch  Partners,  LLC.  ("Patriarch").  The Agreement  allows for borrowings
under a revolving  line of credit  facility  of $10 million and an initial  term
loan of $2 million.

As of December  31,  2002,  the Company  executed an  amendment to the loan with
Patriarch to modify the capital expenditure covenant,  from a maximum of $50,000
per quarter, to a maximum of $375,000 per year.

The outstanding borrowings at September 30, 2003 and December 31, 2002 were $9.5
million and $10.5 million,  respectively.  The revolving line of credit has been
classified  as long term,  with the  exception  of $1.5  million  classified  as
current,  since  management  has the ability to maintain the  September 30, 2003
outstanding  balance  through the next fiscal year. All  outstanding  borrowings
under the  Agreement  will be due and  payable  as of  December  31,  2004.  The
available  balance  on the  outstanding  borrowings  was $2.1  million  and $1.5
million at September 30, 2003 and December 31, 2002, respectively.  The weighted
average interest rate for the third quarter of 2003 was 4.9% compared to 5.6% in
2002.

The Agreement  contains a provision  that allows for the quarterly  recapture of
fifty  percent  of the excess  cash flow to be applied to the term loan.  Excess
cash flow is based upon the  calculation of  consolidated  cash flow (the sum of
earnings from operations  before income taxes and interest plus depreciation and
amortization  minus  cash  taxes  paid  minus  capital  expenditures)  minus the
aggregate amount of consolidated financial obligations (payments on indebtedness
or payments on  capitalized  leases).  The recapture of excess cash flow for the
year  ending  December  31,  2002 was $.4  million,  which was paid in the third
quarter of 2003 and reduced the term loan balance to $1.6 million.

As the interest  rates are  variable,  the carrying  value of the notes  payable
approximates  its fair  value.  The  notes  payable  are  secured  by all of the
Company's assets.



                                       9



NOTE 4 - Income Taxes

At September 30, 2003, the Company had U.S. federal and state net operating loss
carryforwards of approximately  $28,264,000 and $27,048,000,  respectively.  The
U.S. federal and state net operating loss carryforwards  expire through 2015. At
September 30, 2003, the Company had approximately $3,549,000 and $800,000 of net
operating loss  carryforwards for the United Kingdom and Germany,  respectively,
which expire  through 2007. At December 31, 2002,  the Company had U.S.  federal
and state net operating loss  carryforwards  of  approximately  $27,200,000  and
$26,000,000,  respectively.  At December 31, 2002, the Company had approximately
$226,000,  $3,400,000  and  $800,000 of net  operating  loss  carryforwards  for
Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany,  respectively.  For financial  reporting
purposes,  a valuation  allowance has been recorded to fully offset deferred tax
assets  relating  to  U.S.  federal,  state,  and  foreign  net  operating  loss
carryforwards and other temporary differences.


NOTE 5 - Earnings Per Share

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per
share:



                                                       Three Months Ended                     Nine Months Ended
                                                           September 30                         September 30
                                                       2003              2002               2003           2002
                                                ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Numerator:
                                                                                                
   Net earnings                                 $       12          $      220          $      422          $      604
                                                ========================================================================
Denominator:
   Denominator for basic earnings
   per share (weighted-average shares)           7,026,232           7,026,232           7,026,232           7,026,232

   Effect of dilutive securities:
   Employee stock options                        1,145,697             202,877             689,476             288,556
                                                ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Denominator for diluted earnings
   per share (adjusted weighted-average
   shares and assumed conversions)               8,171,929           7,229,109           7,715,708           7,314,788
                                                ========================================================================
Basic earnings per share                        $      .00          $        .03        $      .06          $      .09
                                                ========================================================================
Diluted earnings per share                      $      .00          $        .03        $      .05          $      .08
                                                ========================================================================






                                       10


NOTE 6 -  Comprehensive  Income
- ------
The  components  of  comprehensive  income  (loss) for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2003 and 2002 are as follows:






                                                             Three Months Ended                Nine Months Ended
                                                                September 30                     September 30
(thousands)                                                 2003         2002                  2003         2002
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           
Net Income                                          $          12  $         220       $         422   $        604
   Foreign currency translation adjustments                   (34)            18                  69             71
                                                    ---------------------------------------------------------------

Comprehensive income (loss)                         $         (24) $         238       $         491   $        675
                                                    ===============================================================




The  components  of  accumulated  comprehensive  loss at September  30, 2003 and
December 31, 2002 are as follows:

                                                        September 30        December 31
(thousands)                                                 2003               2002
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Foreign currency translation adjustments             $        (849)        $    (918)
                                                     --------------------------------------
Accumulated comprehensive loss                       $        (849)        $    (918)
                                                     ======================================


NOTE 7 - Segment Information
- ------

The Company views its business in three distinct  revenue  categories:  Solution
and  products  sales,  Access  services,  and Contract  manufacturing  services.
Revenues are used by management as a guide to determine the effectiveness of the
individual  segment.  The  Company  manages  its  operating  expenses  through a
traditional  functional  perspective and accordingly  does not report  operating
expenses on a segment basis.




                                                            Three Months Ended                  Nine Months Ended
                                                               September 30                       September 30
(thousands)                                                 2003            2002               2003          2002
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenues
                                                                                           
    Solutions and products                          $      4,446   $       4,129       $     15,290    $     12,988
    Access services                                        2,673           2,741              7,966           8,777
    Contract manufacturing services                          246             298                326           1,069
                                                    ---------------------------------------------------------------



                                       11


        Total revenues                                     7,365           7,168             23,582          22,834

    Cost of solutions and products                         3,055           2,539              9,445           8,181
    Service expenses                                       2,172           2,105              6,683           6,671
                                                    ---------------------------------------------------------------
         Gross profit margin                               2,138           2,524              7,454           7,982

    Operating expenses
        and other income, net                              2,115           2,284              6,991           7,317
                                                    ---------------------------------------------------------------
Income before income taxes                          $         23   $        240        $        463      $      665
                                                    ===============================================================
Total expenditures for additions
    to long-lived assets                            $          3   $          24       $         63      $       72






Certain  2002  amounts  have been  reclassified  to conform to the current  year
presentation.

The Solutions and Products  Division  includes the sale of hardware and software
products  as well as  professional  services.  Contract  Manufacturing  Services
provides  assembly and test services under  contracts with customers who develop
and sell a variety of equipment.


NOTE 8 - Bill and Hold Transactions
- ------

Revenues relating to sales of certain equipment  (principally  optical character
recognition equipment) are recognized upon acceptance, shipment, or installation
depending on the contract  specifications.  When  customers,  under the terms of
specific orders or contracts,  request that the Company  manufacture and invoice
the  equipment on a bill and hold basis,  the Company  recognizes  revenue based
upon an acceptance received from the customer.  The Company recorded no bill and
hold revenue during the third quarter of 2003 and $2.3 million in the first nine
months of 2003.  Revenues recorded during the first nine months of 2002 included
bill and hold transactions of $.9 million. Accounts receivable included bill and
hold  receivables  of $.7 million,  and $1.1  million at September  30, 2003 and
December 31, 2002, respectively.




                                       12






Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Consolidated Financial
Condition and Results of Operations.

Outlook

The forward-looking  statements  contained in this section and elsewhere in this
document are based on current  expectations.  Scan-Optics,  Inc. (the "Company")
and its future  operations  are  subject to a number of risks,  including  those
discussed  below. The following list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of
all the risks to which the Company's business is subject,  but only to highlight
certain substantial risks faced by the Company. Although the Company completed a
total  debt  restructuring  effective  December  31,  2001  (see  Note  3 to the
consolidated financial statements for further information),  the Company remains
highly  leveraged and could be adversely  affected by a significant  increase in
interest  rates or an inability to comply with  financial  covenants in its debt
agreements or a failure to extend or replace its existing debt agreements  prior
to December 31, 2004.  A one percent  increase in the prime rate would  increase
the annual interest cost on the  outstanding  loan balance at September 30, 2003
of approximately $9.5 million by $.1 million.  All outstanding  borrowings under
the Company's  existing debt  agreements  will be due and payable as of December
31, 2004 and, as of that date, the Company will also be obligated to redeem from
its lender the Company's mandatorily  redeemable non-voting preferred stock at a
redemption price equal to $3.8 million plus interest accrued on such amount from
December 31, 2001 through the date of  redemption  at an interest rate per annum
equal to the prime rate of  interest  in effect  from time to time  during  such
period, plus 2% compounded  annually.  The Company's business could be adversely
affected by downturns in the domestic and international  economy.  The Company's
international sales and operations are subject to various international business
risks. The Company's  revenues depend in part on contracts with various state or
federal  governmental  agencies,  and could be adversely affected by patterns in
government  spending.  The Company faces competition from many sources,  and its
products may be replaced with products relying on alternative technologies.  The
Company's business could be adversely affected by technological changes.

The Company achieved net income of $12,000 in the third quarter of 2003 compared
to $.2  million  in the third  quarter of 2002.  Net income for the nine  months
ended  September  30,  2003 was $.4  million  compared  to $.6  million  for the
comparable period in 2002.

The Company has three major  initiatives  currently  underway to improve revenue
growth and  profitability.  They are  designed to  emphasize  the  "Business  of
Solutions" focus in targeted markets, introduce the Business Process Outsourcing
Service  and expand  the Access  Services  Division  to include  enterprise-wide
maintenance  services.   The  inability  of  the  Company  to  carry  out  these
initiatives may have a material adverse effect on revenue growth and earnings.

The  first  initiative  is  to  provide  cost-effective  solutions  through  the
Company's  development of target market data capture applications  combined with
its high speed  transports  and  archival  systems.  The Company has refined its
target market  approach and has chosen to focus  primarily on the government and
insurance markets,  while continuing to address the




                                       13


transportation, assessment, financial and order fulfillment markets. The Company
expects to continue to  emphasize  its  "Business of  Solutions"  focus on these
targeted  markets for the  foreseeable  future.  As other  market  opportunities
emerge,  the Company  will  evaluate  the  potential  of using its  products and
services to provide solutions in these new markets. The Company's revenue in the
solutions initiative increased $2.7 million or 35% from the first nine months of
2002 to 2003 and $.2 million or 7% in a comparison  of the third quarter of 2003
vs. 2002, mainly due to an increase in the government market.

The  second  initiative,  introduced  in  early  2003,  is  a  Business  Process
Outsourcing  ("BPO")  Service  to capture  images of  documents  for  subsequent
document  management,  storage and  retrieval.  The  Company's  new BPO Services
provide a low-risk,  cost-effective solution for customers with document imaging
needs. As increasing  numbers of both government and commercial  clients migrate
from paper-based  filing systems to image-based  storage and retrieval  systems,
they are  faced  with the  need to  convert  their  existing  paper  files or to
outsource the activity. The BPO Services offer customers a high quality, turnkey
outsourcing solution utilizing the Company's proprietary hardware technology, as
well as its software skills, resources and process controls.

The third  initiative,  by our Access  Services  Division,  is an  expansion  to
include  enterprise-wide  maintenance  services for network and  network-related
equipment.  Leveraging  off the  experience it has gained through its many third
party  agreements,  Access  Services is well  positioned  to expand  maintenance
coverage  and  provide  customers  with "one  number  to call"  for  maintenance
services  regardless of the equipment  manufacturer.  Through the division's 120
technical service representatives strategically located throughout the U.S., the
Company  believes  that it can provide high quality,  cost-effective  enterprise
maintenance to its existing customer base as well as new accounts.

While the Company is principally  focused on improving the  profitability of its
existing  operations,  the Company may consider acquiring key strategic products
or  enterprises.  Acquisitions  will be considered  based upon their  individual
merit and benefit to the Company.

Results of Operations for the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2003 vs.
2002

Total revenues increased $.7 million or 3% from the first nine months of 2002 to
the first nine  months of 2003 and  increased  $.2  million or 3% from the third
quarter of 2002 to the third quarter of 2003.

Hardware and software  revenues  increased $2.7 million or 29% in the first nine
months of 2003  compared  with the same period in 2002 and increased $.7 million
or 23% from the third  quarter of 2002  compared to 2003.  Compared to the first
nine months of 2002,  North  American  sales  increased  $2.6 million or 29% and
increased  $.5 million or 19% during the third  quarter of 2003  compared to the
third quarter of 2002 mainly due to the increase in hardware sales to replace or
upgrade  existing  equipment  at current  customer  sites.  International  sales
remained  consistent with the first nine months of 2002 and the third quarter of
2002.


                                       14



Professional  services revenues  decreased $1.1 million or 22% in the first nine
months of 2003  compared  with the first nine months of 2002 and  decreased  $.4
million or 24% during the third quarter of 2003 compared to the third quarter of
2002.  These decreases  relate to the  difficulties in the current United States
economy.

Access services revenues decreased $.8 million or 9% in the first nine months of
2003 compared with the first nine months of 2002 and decreased $.1 million or 2%
during the third  quarter of 2003  compared  to the third  quarter of 2002.  The
decrease  in revenue is mainly due to  decreases  in the  Company's  proprietary
maintenance  contracts  as a result of lower  maintenance  rates for the  latest
generation  of the Series 9000  scanner,  the 9000M,  as compared to the earlier
Series  9000  scanner.  The  Company  was  also  impacted  by  a  few  customers
discontinuing  maintenance  due to changes in their business or the use of other
technologies.

Cost of hardware  and software  increased  $1.3 million or 22% in the first nine
months of 2003  compared  to the first  nine  months of 2002 and  increased  $.6
million or 35% in the third  quarter of 2003  compared  to the third  quarter of
2002.  The gross  margin was 37% for the first nine months of 2003,  compared to
34% in the first nine months of the prior year.  The gross margin was 30% during
the third  quarter of 2003,  compared  to 36% in the third  quarter of the prior
year. The changes in gross margin are mainly due to changes in product mix and a
decline in contract manufacturing volumes.

Cost of professional  services decreased $.1 million in the first nine months of
2003 vs. 2002 and decreased $.1 million in the third quarter of 2003 compared to
the prior year.  The gross  margin was 46% for the first nine months and 48% for
the third  quarter of 2003,  compared to 56% in the first nine months and 54% in
the third  quarter of 2002.  The  decrease  in gross  margin was mainly due to a
decline in new solutions  sales,  as well as fixed costs that exist to support a
higher volume of business.

Cost of Access Services remained flat for the first nine months of 2003 vs. 2002
and  increased  $.1 million in the third  quarter of 2003  compared to the prior
year.  The gross  margin was 16% for the first nine months of 2003,  compared to
24% in the first nine months of 2002.  The gross margin was 19% during the third
quarter of 2003,  compared to 23% in the third  quarter of the prior  year.  The
decrease in margin is due to decreased Access Services  revenue,  which was only
partially offset by a decrease in expenses.

Sales and marketing  expenses  increased $.1 million in the first nine months of
2003  compared to the first nine months of 2002 and decreased $.1 million in the
third  quarter of 2003  compared to the third  quarter of 2002.  The increase is
mainly in outside  services  related  to the  Company's  new  website as well as
increases in consulting  services for recoverable monthly payments related to an
additional reseller in the Washington, D.C., area.


                                       15



Research  and  development  expenses  decreased  $.4 million from the first nine
months of 2002 and  decreased  $.1 million from the third quarter of 2002 mainly
due to a decrease  in  software  license  amortization  related to the  BlueBird
software agreement, which has been fully amortized.

General and  administrative  expenses remained  consistent in the nine month and
third quarter comparison from 2003 vs. 2002.

Interest expense remained  consistent with the first nine months of 2002 and the
third  quarter of 2002.  The weighted  average  interest rate for the first nine
months of 2003 was 5.1% compared to 5.6% in 2002.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash and cash  equivalents  at  September  30, 2003  increased  $.1 million from
December 31, 2002 levels.

Total  borrowings were $9.5 million or $1.1 million lower than the $10.6 million
level at December 31, 2002. The available balance on the line of credit was $2.1
million at September  30,  2003.  As of  September  30, 2003,  the Company is in
compliance with all of the financial covenants.  The Company anticipates meeting
its current  obligations and resource needs through the funds generated  through
operations.  (See Note 3 for further details.) All outstanding  borrowings under
the Company's credit  agreements will be due and payable as of December 31, 2004
and, as of that date,  the  Company  will also be  obligated  to redeem from its
lender the Company's mandatorily redeemable non-voting preferred stock. Although
the Company  expects to extend or  refinance  this  indebtedness  and redeem the
preferred  stock,  there can be no assurance as to the  availability or terms of
any such extension or  refinancing.  If the Company fails to extend or refinance
its existing  indebtedness  and redeem its  preferred  stock prior  December 31,
2004, the Company's current lender has the right to exercise warrants to acquire
up to 33.20%  of the  Company's  common  stock and to  convert  its  manditorily
redeemable  non-voting  preferred  stock  into  voting  preferred  stock.  It is
possible  that the terms of any  extension or  refinancing  of the  indebtedness
could  require the issuance by the Company of equity that would  dilute  current
stockholders.


Operating  activities  provided $1.2 million of cash in the first nine months of
2003, as compared to $1.4 million in the first nine months of 2002.

Non-cash  expenses  recorded  during the first nine months of the year were $1.8
million,  a decrease of $.3 million from the same period in 2002. These expenses
relate to disposal  losses and  depreciation  of fixed assets  (discussed in net
plant and equipment below) and  amortization of customer  service  inventory and
software license.

Net accounts receivable and unbilled receivables at September 30, 2003 increased
$1  million  from  December 31, 2002


                                       16


due mainly to the  increase in revenue  from the fourth  quarter of 2002 of $6.4
million to revenue of $7.4 million in the third quarter of 2003. The increase in
revenue of $1 million along with the timing of payments resulted in the increase
in accounts receivables.

Total  inventories at September 30, 2003 decreased $.6 million from December 31,
2002. Total manufacturing  inventories  decreased $.2 million from the beginning
of the year mainly due to the timing of the 2003 fourth  quarter  build plan and
third quarter delivery of equipment.  Customer service inventories decreased $.4
million mainly due to amortization of inventory.

Prepaid  expenses and other  increased  $.4 million due to  capitalized  project
engineering costs recorded in the third quarter of 2003.

Net plant and equipment  decreased $.3 million from December 31, 2002 mainly due
to  depreciation  expense  reported  during the first  nine  months of the year.
During  2003,  the  Company  performed  a  physical  inventory  of all plant and
equipment  and  based on the  results  of  these  procedures  wrote-off  assets,
primarily fully depreciated assets, which are no longer used in operations. As a
result,  the gross cost of these  assets,  as well as, the  related  accumulated
depreciation and amortization  were reduced by $6.5 million.  The impact of this
activity on 2003 operating  results was a loss of approximately  $46,000,  which
was recognized during the third quarter.

Accounts payable  increased $.4 million from December 31, 2002 due to the timing
of payments.

Salaries  and wages  increased  $.2  million  due mainly to an  increase  in the
vacation  accrual that is expected to be utilized over the remainder of the year
and an increase in accrued commissions.

Taxes other than income  taxes  decreased  $.1 million due to payments  made for
sales and use taxes in various states and Goods and Services Tax in Canada.

Customer deposits were flat with December 31, 2002 balances.

Deferred  revenues  increased $.4 million due to an increase in annual  billings
that were previously billed on a monthly basis.

Other liabilities were consistent with December 31, 2002 levels.



Critical Accounting Policies

Our critical  accounting  policies are discussed in Management's  Discussion and
Analysis of  Consolidated  Financial  Condition and Results of Operations in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002. The preparation
of our  financial  statements  requires  us to make  estimates  that  affect the
reported  amounts of assets,  liabilities,  revenue  and  expenses  and  related
disclosures  of  contingent  assets  and  liabilities.  We base  our  accounting
estimates on  historical  experience  and other  factors that are believed to be
reasonable under the circumstances.  However, actual results may vary from these
estimates under different assumptions or conditions.


                                       17


New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2003, the Financial  Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Statement
of Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 150,  "Accounting for Certain  Financial
Instruments with  Characteristics  of both Liabilities and Equity" ("SFAS 150").
This  statement  establishes   standards  for  classifying  and  measuring,   as
liabilities, certain financial instruments that embody obligations of the issuer
and have  characteristics  of both  liabilities  and equity.  SFAS 150 generally
requires   liability   classification  for  financial   instruments,   including
mandatorily  redeemable  equity  instruments  and other  non-equity  instruments
requiring,  from  inception,  the repurchase by the issuer of its equity shares.
This  statement is  applicable  to the Company as of the  beginning of the first
interim  financial  reporting period beginning after June 15, 2003. The adoption
of this Statement did not have a significant  effect on the Company's  financial
position  as of  September  30,  2003 or on the  results of  operations  for the
three-month or nine-month periods ending September 30, 2003.

In May 2003,  the FASB's  Emerging  Issues Task Force defined the scope of Issue
00-21, "Revenue Arrangements With Multiple  Deliverables" ("EITF No. 00-21") and
its  interaction  with  other  authoritative   literature.   This  statement  is
applicable to agreements entered into for reporting periods beginning after June
15, 2003 and requires  companies with revenue  arrangements  including  multiple
deliverables  to be  divided  into  separate  units of  accounting  for  revenue
recognition  purposes,  if the  deliverables  in the  arrangement  meet  certain
criteria,  including  standalone  value to the customer,  objective and reliable
evidence  of  the  fair  value  of  the  undelivered  items  exists  and  if the
arrangement  includes a general right of return  relative to the delivered item,
delivery or  performance  of the  undelivered  item is  considered  probable and
substantially  in the control of the vendor.  The adoption of this Statement did
not  have  a  significant  effect  on the  Company's  financial  position  as of
September  30,  2003 or on the  results of  operations  for the  three-month  or
nine-month periods ending September 30, 2003.





Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

In 2001,  the  Company  completed  a total  debt  restructuring  (see Note 3 for
further information), however, the Company remains highly leveraged and could be
adversely  affected by a significant  increase in interest rates or a failure to
extend or replace its existing debt agreements prior to December 31, 2004. A one
percent  increase in the prime rate would  increase the annual  interest cost on
the  outstanding  loan  balance at  September  30, 2003 of  approximately  $10.6
million by $.1 million.  The Company has minimal  foreign  currency  translation
risk.  All  international  sales  other than sales  originating  from the UK and
Canadian  subsidiaries  are denominated in United States  dollars.  Refer to the
Outlook  section  of  Management's   Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Consolidated
Financial Condition and Results of Operations.




                                       18




Item 4. Controls and Procedures.

The Company  evaluated the design and operation of its  disclosure  controls and
procedures  to  determine  whether  they  are  effective  in  ensuring  that the
disclosure  of  required  information  is  timely  made in  accordance  with the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and the rules and forms of
the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission.  This  evaluation  was made under the
supervision and with the  participation  of management,  including the Company's
principal executive officer and principal financial officer as of the end of the
period  covered by this Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q. The principal  executive
officer and principal  financial officer have concluded,  based on their review,
that the Company's  disclosure  controls and procedures,  as defined at Exchange
Act Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c), are effective to provide reasonable assurance
that  information  required to be  disclosed  by the Company in reports  that it
files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded,  processed,  summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission
rules and forms.  There were no changes in the Company's  internal  control over
financial  reporting  that  occurred  during the  Company's  most recent  fiscal
quarter that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect,
the Company's internal control over financial reporting.





                                       19



PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K.

(a) Exhibits.


    Exhibit Number         Description

    Exhibit 31.1*          CEO Certification Pursuant to Section 302 of the
                           Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

    Exhibit 31.2*          CFO Certification Pursuant to Section 302 of the
                           Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

    Exhibit 32.1*          CEO Certification Pursuant to Section 906 of the
                           Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

    Exhibit 32.2*          CFO Certification Pursuant to Section 906 of the
                           Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

* Filed herewith.




(b) Reports on Form 8-K.


       Report on Form 8-K filed August 1, 2003 regarding  second quarter of 2003
earnings.



                                       20





                                   SIGNATURES
                                   -----------

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


                                                  SCAN-OPTICS, INC.


Date       November 14, 2003                   / s/ James C. Mavel
           -----------------                   ------------------------------
                                               James C. Mavel
                                               Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
                                               and President


Date      November 14, 2003                    / s/ Michael J. Villano
          -----------------                    ------------------------------
                                               Michael J. Villano
                                               Chief Operating Officer,
                                               Chief Financial Officer,
                                               Vice President and Treasurer






                                       21