Gitnux/Report 2026

Eye Care Industry Statistics

With 163 million people estimated to have high myopia and the U.S. eye care services market topping $35.6 billion in 2022, this page puts demand, spending, and outcomes side by side, from a roughly 90% reduction in vision loss risk from anti VEGF therapy for neovascular AMD to cataract surgery readmissions of just 1.1% in real world data. It also weighs what patients actually face, including 72% of adults with vision impairment using eye care within 12 months and Medicare paying about $3,017 per cataract surgery episode.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Eye Care Industry Statistics
Helena KowalczykWritten by Helena Kowalczyk·Edited by Marcus Afolabi·Fact-checked by Astrid Bergmann
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The eye care industry at a glance

Eye care is a large, steadily expanding health and consumer industry: the global vision care market was valued at $37.9 billion in 2025, while 2.2 billion people had near or distance vision impairment.

$37.9B[68]
Global vision care market, 2025
3.4%[68]
Forecast CAGR, 2026–2033
2.2B[69]
People with vision impairment, 2026
€28.5B[19]
EssilorLuxottica revenue, 2025
Market size
The global vision care market was valued at $37.9 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach $39.2 billion in 2026. EssilorLuxottica, the industry's largest vertically integrated eyewear company, reported €28.5 billion in 2025 revenue, providing a benchmark for the scale of the leading supplier.[68][19]
Forecast & CAGR
The global vision care market is forecast to grow from $39.2 billion in 2026 to $49.5 billion by 2033, representing a 3.4% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. The broader ophthalmic devices market was valued at $50.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $85.1 billion by 2035, a 5.4% CAGR.[68][70]
Market share & regions
EssilorLuxottica's 2025 revenue was geographically concentrated in North America, which represented 46% of revenue, followed by EMEA at 40%, Asia-Pacific at 12% and Latin America at 5%; percentages shown in the company's regional breakdown may not sum because of rounding. The company reported 2025 regional revenue of €12.8 billion in North America, €10.8 billion in EMEA, €3.4 billion in Asia-Pacific and €1.5 billion in Latin America.[19]
Segmentation
The industry spans vision correction and ocular-care products, ophthalmic diagnostic devices, therapeutic and diagnostic applications, and B2B and B2C distribution. In Alcon's 2025 portfolio, vision care generated $4.6 billion, split between contact lenses at 61% and ocular health products at 39%.[68][20]
Key players & concentration
Leading companies include EssilorLuxottica, Alcon, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Bausch + Lomb and National Vision. EssilorLuxottica reported €28.5 billion in 2025 revenue, Alcon reported approximately $10.3 billion in total 2025 sales, and Johnson & Johnson reported $5.5 billion in worldwide 2025 Vision sales.[19][20][18]
Pricing
Public company filings show substantial variation by product and channel rather than a single industry price. Warby Parker's 2025 filing estimated the U.S. contact-lens market at $10.4 billion and the eye-exams and vision-care market at $11.4 billion; more than 80% of contact-lens wearers purchased lenses at least once during the year, supporting recurring demand.[71]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is supported by aging populations, refractive error, cataracts, myopia and increased use of digital diagnostics and wearables. WHO estimates that at least 2.2 billion people have near or distance vision impairment and that at least 1 billion cases could have been prevented or remain unaddressed; it also estimates an annual productivity cost of $411 billion. EssilorLuxottica reported that AI glasses sold more than 7 million units in 2025 and that its myopia-management portfolio revenue rose 22%.[69][19]
Consumer behavior & competition
Consumer demand combines medically necessary correction with fashion, convenience and recurring purchases. In the United States, vision insurance is used in approximately 60% of vision-care purchases, while National Vision generated $1.99 billion in 2025 revenue, including $1.27 billion from eyeglasses and sunglasses and $324.2 million from contact lenses.[71][18]
M&A
M&A is extending major companies upstream into materials, diagnostics and clinical technology. EssilorLuxottica completed the acquisition of an 80% stake in Heidelberg Engineering in October 2024 and announced the acquisition of PUcore's ophthalmic-lens-materials division in July 2025, including a Korean R&D unit, production facility and sales office.[19]
Regulation
Eye-care products are regulated as medical devices and pharmaceuticals, with requirements covering safety, clinical evidence, manufacturing and labeling. In December 2025, the U.S. FDA recognized ISO 11980:2025, which provides guidance for clinical investigations of contact lenses and contact-lens-care products.[72]
Latest news
The latest major company results show continued momentum in connected eyewear and myopia management: EssilorLuxottica reported €28.5 billion of 2025 revenue, 11.2% growth at constant exchange rates, more than 7 million AI glasses sold and 22% growth in its worldwide myopia-management portfolio. The company also reported that Nuance Audio was available in 12 markets and 15,000 doors worldwide at the end of 2025.[19]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Eye Care Industry

The leading companies in the eye care industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

HOYA leads Gitnux's 2026 eye care ranking with an Overall score of 9.5, with Life Care business at ¥590.7 billion, driven by eyeglass lenses and other healthcare products. ZEISS is the highest-ranked eye diagnostics equipment provider at 9.1, with ophthalmic diagnostics and surgical systems, backed by R&D at 15% of revenue.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in eyeglass and contact lenses

    HOYA

    JP

    Ranked #1 · 9.5 · Eyeglass and contact lenses

    Why we picked it: Its Life Care mix links lens products with healthcare-scale revenue, shown by ¥590.7 billion.

    See in ranking ↓Visit hoya.com ↗

  2. Leader in ophthalmic diagnostics

    ZEISS

    DE

    Ranked #2 · 9.1 · Ophthalmic diagnostics

    Why we picked it: Its ophthalmic portfolio spans lenses, diagnostics, and surgical systems, with R&D at 15%.

    See in ranking ↓Visit zeiss.com ↗

  3. Leader in ophthalmic therapeutics

    Glaukos

    US

    Ranked #3 · 8.9 · Ophthalmic therapeutics

    Why we picked it: Its focus on glaucoma and corneal-health products shows scale through $507.4 million in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit glaukos.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the eye care industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

HOYA

Eyeglass and contact lenses · JP

9.5
2

ZEISS

Ophthalmic diagnostics · DE

9.1
3

Glaukos

Ophthalmic therapeutics · US

8.9
4

Santen

Ophthalmic pharmaceuticals · JP

8.6
5

CooperCompanies

Eyeglass and contact lenses · US

8.6
6

Théa

Ophthalmic pharmaceuticals and eye drops · FR

8.5
7

Bausch + Lomb

Contact lenses, ophthalmic drugs and surgical products · CA

8.3
8

RxSight

Light-adjustable intraocular lenses · US

7.7
9

NIDEK

Ophthalmic diagnostic and surgical equipment · JP

7.6
10

STAAR Surgical

Phakic intraocular lenses and refractive surgery · US

7.6

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the eye care industry. In Eye Care Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/eye-care-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Optical retail sales of leading mass merchants and warehouse clubs (United States)

Walmart Inc. leads with $2.0B.

Walmart Inc.$2.0B
Costco Optical$1.8B
Target/Super Target$535.0M
Sam's Club$206.0M
BJ's Optical Centers$99.0M
source-verifiedvisionmonday.com

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Ophthalmic AI adoption expanded quickly in publication volume, with 3,061 ophthalmic-AI articles in 2025. Automation correlates with fewer no-shows and better communications, reported at 39% and 61%.

AI in the eye care industry

  • 7.2% of ophthalmologists across 45 countries reported regular artificial-intelligence use in clinical practice in a survey conducted from October 2024 to February 2025.[1]
  • More than 20 ophthalmology foundation-model studies appeared in 2024, with the number nearly doubling in 2025.[2]
  • 88.3% of included ophthalmic-AI studies focused on developing AI models, while 7.4% evaluated existing models, in the 2015–2025 analysis.[2]
  • 33% of U.S. eyecare providers planned to adopt artificial-intelligence tools in the future, according to research covering the second half of 2024.[3]
  • 3,061 ophthalmic-AI articles were published globally in 2025, compared with 108 in 2015.[4]
  • 12,911 original ophthalmic-AI articles were included in a global analysis covering 2015–2025.[4]

Automation in the eye care industry

  • 61% of eyecare practices that automated processes in 2025 reported improved patient communications and responsiveness.[5]
  • 41% of eyecare practices that automated processes in 2025 reported better team productivity and efficiency.[5]
  • 39% of eyecare practices that automated processes in 2025 reported fewer no-shows and last-minute cancellations.[5]

Digital Transformation in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • About 70% of surveyed healthcare executives said investing in technology platforms for digital tools and services would be important or very important in 2025.[6]
  • Among healthcare respondents to KPMG’s global technology survey, 49% were adopting DevSecOps approaches to adapt digital-transformation strategies.[7]
  • Across U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals, 71% used predictive AI integrated into electronic health records in 2024.[8]
  • Across surveyed healthcare practitioners, 60% believed their organizations’ digital experiences met or exceeded customer needs in 2025.[9]
  • About 90% of surveyed global healthcare C-suite executives expected digital technology use to accelerate in 2025, including 50% anticipating a significant impact.[6]

Technology Adoption in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals, 81% enabled patient access through applications using application-programming-interface specifications in 2024.[8]
  • Across U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals, 99% enabled patients to view health information electronically in 2024.[8]
  • Across U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals, 92% enabled patients to securely message providers in 2024.[8]
  • Across U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals, 84% enabled patients to transmit health information to a third party electronically in 2024.[8]
  • Across U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals, 70% enabled patient access through applications using HL7 FHIR specifications in 2024.[8]
  • Across U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals, 96% enabled patients to download health information electronically in 2024.[8]

Cloud Computing in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across surveyed healthcare organizations globally, 8% reported minimal cloud adoption without formal strategy or governance at the end of 2025.[10]
  • Across surveyed healthcare organizations globally, 27% reported that cloud operations were well managed and integrated into overall IT strategy at the end of 2025.[10]
  • Across surveyed healthcare organizations globally, 18% had started adopting cloud services but lacked a comprehensive cloud strategy at the end of 2025.[10]
  • Across surveyed healthcare organizations globally, 31% had a formal cloud strategy and governance framework that was not yet integrated into IT strategy at the end of 2025.[10]
  • Across surveyed healthcare organizations globally, 15% reported that cloud adoption was fully integrated into business strategy at the end of 2025.[10]

Big Data in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across Brazilian healthcare facilities conducting Big Data analytics, 48% used social-media data in 2024.[11]
  • Across Brazilian healthcare facilities conducting Big Data analytics, 38% used geolocation data from mobile phones, wireless connections, or GPS in 2024.[11]
  • Across Brazilian healthcare facilities conducting Big Data analytics, 72% used data from smart devices or sensors in 2024.[11]
  • Across Brazilian healthcare facilities conducting Big Data analytics, 65% used patient demographics, forms, or medical-record data in 2024.[11]
  • Across Brazilian healthcare facilities conducting Big Data analytics, 77% used in-house staff rather than external providers in 2024.[11]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Governance and data quality remain measurable constraints, including 40% of clinical data abstractors citing manual entry and 50% citing data inaccuracies in 2024.

Business intelligence in the eye care industry

  • 3.4% of surveyed U.S. ophthalmologists selected “other” as their EHR-data location in 2015.[2]
  • 31% of U.S. ophthalmology practices planned to adopt electronic health records within two years in a 2012 survey.[12]
  • $68.3 billion was the estimated value of the U.S. optical industry in 2024, based on The Vision Council’s Market inSights analysis.[3]
  • 34% of surveyed U.S. ophthalmologists used an external server or cloud-based location for EHR data in 2015.[2]
  • Around 95% of U.S. ophthalmology practices were included in the IRIS Registry’s participating-practice sample.[13]
  • $69.5 billion was the estimated value of the U.S. optical industry in 2025, according to transaction, retail-location and consumer-survey data.[3]

Data analytics in the eye care industry

  • 12.1% of an ophthalmic technician’s full-time equivalent was spent on care navigation in the Michigan MI-SIGHT program.[14]
  • 42.9% of an ophthalmic technician’s full-time equivalent was spent on outreach, study coordination, research and other tasks in the Michigan MI-SIGHT program.[14]
  • 154 participants were included in the 2023–2024 MI-SIGHT eye-screening and care-navigation analysis in Michigan, United States.[14]
  • 23.6% of an ophthalmic technician’s full-time equivalent was spent on optical care in the Michigan MI-SIGHT program.[14]
  • 118 of 348 surveyed U.S. ophthalmologists reported using an external or cloud-based EHR server in 2015.[2]
  • 181 of 348 surveyed U.S. ophthalmologists reported hosting EHR data at or near their practice in 2015.[2]

Data Quality in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 75% of U.S. healthcare organizations represented in the survey predominantly used clinical registry data for quality and process improvement in 2024.[15]
  • 8% of U.S. healthcare organizations rated their provider data as excellent in 2022.[16]
  • 40% of U.S. healthcare clinical data abstractors reported that manual data entry hampers clinical registry efforts in 2024.[15]
  • 50% of U.S. healthcare clinical data abstractors reported that data inaccuracies hamper clinical registry efforts in 2024.[15]
  • 40% of U.S. healthcare clinical data abstractors reported that incomplete data hampers clinical registry efforts in 2024.[15]

Data Governance in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 72% of healthcare organizations operated governance using approved policy and standards frameworks in 2025.[16]
  • 77% of healthcare organizations reported that their governance functions met at least quarterly in 2025.[16]
  • 10% of healthcare organizations managed data governance exclusively within IT in 2025.[16]
  • 66% of healthcare organizations reported multidisciplinary representation in governance, including patient or consumer representatives, in 2025.[16]
  • 39% of healthcare organizations reported having a formally chartered data-governance function in 2025.[16]
  • 38% of healthcare organizations had formal data and information quality-management statements in 2025.[16]

KPIs in the eye care industry

  • 42.9% of technician capacity was allocated to outreach, study coordination, research and other tasks in the Michigan MI-SIGHT program during 2023–2024.[14]
  • 12.1% of technician capacity was allocated to care navigation in the Michigan MI-SIGHT program during 2023–2024.[14]
  • 68 medical eye-care visits per 1,000 active patients was the median for independent optometric practices in the 2015 KPI benchmark.[17]
  • 11% was Alcon’s 2024 increase in core diluted earnings per share on a constant-currency basis.[18]
  • 5.0% was Alcon’s reported worldwide net-sales growth in 2024.[18]
  • 6.0% was Alcon’s reported worldwide net-sales growth in 2025.[18]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Growth shows up in mix shifts and upstream integration. For example, Alcon’s 2024 sales split includes 27% from contact lenses and 18% from implantables.

Growth in the eye care industry

  • 6.0% was EssilorLuxottica’s 2024 revenue growth versus 2023 at constant exchange rates.[19]
  • $2.739 billion was Bausch + Lomb’s Vision Care revenue in 2024.[18]
  • 8% was Bausch + Lomb’s 2024 Vision Care revenue growth compared with 2023.[18]
  • €1.5 billion was EssilorLuxottica’s 2024 capital expenditure, up 81.4% from 2023.[19]

Differentiation in the eye care industry

  • 18% of Alcon’s 2024 sales came from implantables.[20]
  • 29% of Alcon’s 2024 sales came from surgical consumables.[20]
  • 27% of Alcon’s 2024 sales came from contact lenses.[20]
  • 74% of EssilorLuxottica’s 2024 revenue came from vision care, compared with 23% from the sun business.[19]
  • 17% of Alcon’s 2024 sales came from ocular-health products.[20]
  • 9% of Alcon’s 2024 sales came from surgical equipment and other products.[20]

Mergers and acquisitions in the eye care industry

  • 15 eye centers and clinics were operated by Signifeye when EssilorLuxottica announced its acquisition in December 2025.[19]
  • $1.5 billion was EssilorLuxottica’s announced 2024 purchase price for Supreme.[21]
  • $4.6 billion was the announced value of Cencora’s 2024 agreement to acquire approximately 85% of Retina Consultants of America.[22]
  • More than 90 Malaysian stores operated under the A-Look, Seen and OWL banners when EssilorLuxottica announced its 2025 acquisition agreement.[19]
  • $850 million was the approximate value of McKesson’s 2025 acquisition of 80% of PRISM Vision.[23]
  • 36 acquisitions were completed by Retina Consultants of America before its 2025 sale to Cencora.[24]

Strategic partnerships in the eye care industry

  • 30 ophthalmology partnerships, acquisitions and openings were reported by Becker’s ASC for 2024.[25]
  • 15 specialists founded TriaVision, which opened eight clinics across Central Alabama in 2024.[25]
  • 14 ambulatory surgery centers were in Eye Health America’s network in 2025.[26]
  • 130 providers were in Eye Health America’s network in 2025, spanning South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.[26]
  • 8 clinics were opened across Central Alabama by the physician-founded TriaVision group in 2024.[25]
  • 26 practices were part of Eye Health America after its 2024 addition of Family Eye Care Center, according to Becker’s ASC.[25]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce capacity is a recurring bottleneck: 36% of U.S. eyecare providers reported severe or extreme optician shortages in the second half of 2024.

Hiring in the eye care industry

  • 17% of U.S. eyecare providers rated staffing and hiring as having above-average performance in July 2024.[27]
  • 43% of U.S. dispensing opticians worked in optometrist offices in 2025.[28]
  • 5,600 annual job openings for U.S. dispensing opticians were projected for 2025–2035.[28]
  • Hiring staff was the biggest challenge reported by U.S. eyecare providers in the second half of 2024.[3]
  • 36% of U.S. eyecare providers reported a severe or extreme shortage of opticians in the second half of 2024.[3]

Employee retention in the eye care industry

  • 5% of U.K. optical registrants planned to take a career break, according to the 2024 workforce survey.[29]
  • 62.8 full-time-equivalent opticians were active in Vermont in 2024, down from 72.7 in 2022.[30]
  • 16% of U.K. optical registrants planned to leave the profession, according to the 2024 workforce survey.[29]
  • 26% of U.K. optical registrants planned to reduce their working hours, according to the 2024 workforce survey.[29]
  • Staff retention among U.S. eyecare providers improved by 7% in the second half of 2024.[3]

Remote Work in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. medical groups, 52% reported that 1%–25% of their workforce worked remotely at least 50% of the time.[31]
  • Across U.S. medical groups, 22% of leaders expected their organization’s share of remote or hybrid jobs to increase during 2024.[31]
  • Across U.S. health care and social assistance, 18% of full-time employees worked fully from home during December 2024–March 2025.[32]
  • Across U.S. medical groups, 18% of leaders expected their organization’s share of remote or hybrid jobs to decrease during 2024.[31]

Hybrid Work in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. healthcare support roles, 14% had part-time remote availability, equivalent to hybrid availability, in the 2022 McKinsey American Opportunity Survey.[31]
  • About 12% of nonclinical healthcare administrative and customer-support jobs were hybrid in a 2024 Robert Half survey cited by the Medical Group Management Association.[31]
  • Across U.S. healthcare practitioners and technical roles, 16% had part-time remote availability, equivalent to hybrid availability, in the 2022 McKinsey American Opportunity Survey.[31]
  • Across U.S. health care and social assistance, 24% of full-time employees were in hybrid arrangements during December 2024–March 2025.[32]
  • About 6% of U.S. healthcare jobs were hybrid in a 2024 Robert Half survey cited by the Medical Group Management Association.[31]

Upskilling in the eye care industry

  • 34% of U.S. eyecare providers experiencing labor shortages said expanded training and educational opportunities could help address workforce gaps in the second half of 2024.[3]
  • 97.6% of Vermont opticians were educated in the Northeast in 2022.[30]
  • 79.3% of Vermont opticians were educated in Vermont in 2022.[30]
  • 18.1% of Vermont opticians worked at multiple sites in 2022.[30]
  • 3.7% of Vermont opticians planned to reduce their working hours in 2022.[30]

Employee Engagement in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. healthcare organizations, employee turnover fell from 20% to 18% in 2024.[33]
  • U.S. registered nurses with low teamwork scores were 1.53 times more likely to leave their healthcare organization in 2024.[33]
  • Across NHS staff, the national staff-engagement theme score was 6.64 in the second quarter of 2024/25.[34]
  • Across 2.3 million U.S. healthcare workers, employee engagement declined by 0.02 points in 2024.[33]
  • Among U.S. healthcare advanced practice providers, 52% felt heard in 2024.[33]

DEI in the eye care industry

  • 4.1% of U.S. optometry students were Black or African American in 2024–2025.[35]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer experience metrics and recurring purchasing patterns support demand. In the U.K., 87% of adults were satisfied with overall eye-care experience in 2025.

Customer experience in the eye care industry

  • 87% of UK adults were satisfied with their overall eye-care experience in 2025, including 55% who were very satisfied.[29]
  • Warby Parker operated 323 retail stores in the United States at December 31, 2025 as part of its omnichannel eye-care experience.[18]
  • 92% of UK adults were satisfied with the optometrist who conducted their sight test or eye examination in 2025.[29]
  • 72% of UK adults were satisfied with their experience of buying glasses or contact lenses in 2025.[29]
  • 43% of U.S. consumers said they were comfortable using a healthcare credit card to finance vision-care expenses in 2025.[36]

Customer retention in the eye care industry

  • Over 80% of U.S. contact-lens wearers purchased contact lenses at least once per year in 2025, supporting recurring eye-care demand.[18]
  • Warby Parker observed approximately 50% sales retention within 24 months for customers acquired from 2015 through 2019.[18]
  • Another 33% of U.S. glasses wearers purchased new glasses every two years in 2025.[18]
  • Warby Parker observed nearly 100% sales retention over 48 months for customers acquired from 2015 through 2019.[18]
  • Approximately 50% of U.S. glasses wearers purchased new glasses every year in 2025.[18]

Customer acquisition in the eye care industry

  • Warby Parker estimated that its U.S. retail footprint could expand to more than 900 stores, compared with approximately 45,000 U.S. optical stores in 2025.[18]
  • Warby Parker expanded eye-exam capabilities to 85% of its retail locations in 2024.[18]
  • Warby Parker increased the number of people able to use in-network insurance benefits with the company by more than 50% in 2024.[18]
  • Warby Parker’s in-network vision-insurance coverage expanded to more than 30 million lives by 2025.[18]
  • Insurance-backed orders represented 8.3% of Warby Parker revenue in 2025.[18]

Customer loyalty in the eye care industry

  • Vision Source’s ophthalmology locations averaged 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews in 2024.[37]
  • 75% of U.S. consumers whose latest eyewear purchase was from an independent eye-care professional planned to return to the same provider in 2020.[3]
  • Vision Source reported an average optometry Net Promoter Score of +84 across its locations in 2024.[37]
  • 61% of U.S. consumers planned to buy their next prescription eyeglasses from the same location or retailer as their previous purchase in 2020.[3]
  • Vision Source reported an average ophthalmology Net Promoter Score of +89 across its locations in 2024.[37]

Lead generation in the eye care industry

  • About 50% of Warby Parker’s surveyed customers reported hearing about the company through word of mouth in 2020.[18]
  • Warby Parker opened 41 stores in 2024, its highest annual store-opening total at that time.[18]
  • Warby Parker reported that its stores function as customer-acquisition vehicles within its omnichannel eye-care model in 2025.[18]
  • Warby Parker reported that insurance attracts some of its highest-value customers, who tend to spend more initially and return more frequently in 2025.[18]
  • National Vision operated 1,069 America’s Best stores and 122 Eyeglass World stores as of July 4, 2026.[18]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Marketing in the eye care industry

  • Warby Parker reported a 40% increase in adjusted EBITDA in 2024 while investing in brand, retail and customer-engagement initiatives.[18]
  • Warby Parker said its three most common reasons for not shopping with the brand were lack of a nearby store, lack of an updated prescription and inability to use insurance benefits in 2024.[18]
  • National Vision said 69% of surveyed eye-care professionals did not sell anything online in its 2025 regional market survey.[38]
  • Warby Parker reported 15% year-over-year revenue growth in 2024.[18]
  • Among surveyed eye-care professionals selling online in 2025, 25% offered contact lenses, 12% offered plano sunwear, 11% offered prescription eyewear and 10% offered prescription sunwear.[38]

Digital marketing in the eye care industry

  • Warby Parker operated an integrated digital-commerce and retail platform with 323 stores at December 31, 2025.[18]
  • 16% of U.S. eyeglasses purchases occurred online in the second quarter of 2026, up from 13% in the second quarter of 2025.[38]
  • Approximately 73% of online contact-lens buyers planned to reorder within six months in 2024.[3]
  • 82% of in-person contact-lens buyers used vision insurance in 2024, compared with 60% of online buyers.[3]
  • Approximately 58% of U.S. contact lenses were purchased in person in 2024.[3]

Branding in the eye care industry

  • 28% of U.S. consumers owned designer eyewear in 2025, including 36% of Millennials and 33% of Gen Z consumers.[36]
  • Warby Parker employed more than 4,000 people in 2025 while positioning itself as a lifestyle brand focused on vision, purpose and style.[18]
  • Warby Parker had distributed more than 20 million pairs of glasses through its Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program by December 31, 2025.[18]
  • 50% of U.S. consumers said their most recent eye-care visit was to an optometrist in 2025.[36]
  • Warby Parker’s standard prescription-eyewear price started at $95 including prescription lenses in 2025.[18]

Social media in the eye care industry

  • 100 average likes were reported for TikTok cataract videos in a 2026 review of eye-care social content.[39]
  • More than 7 million social-media views were achieved by campaigns for Essilor through a UK optician partnership campaign.[40]
  • 69% of surveyed eye-care professionals reported not selling anything online in 2025, limiting social-commerce conversion opportunities.[38]
  • 25% of surveyed eye-care professionals who sold online offered contact lenses in 2025.[38]
  • 2,009.1 average likes were reported for TikTok cataract videos in a 2026 review of eye-care social content.[39]

Influencer Marketing in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 8.57 million influencer posts about the health industry generated a 1.07% average engagement rate globally in 2023.[41]
  • 50% of U.S. physicians surveyed had changed prescribing choices based on healthcare influencer or KOL content on social media in 2024.[42]
  • 50% of healthcare and pharmaceutical marketers reported dedicated, growing creator/influencer budgets in 2026, compared with 58% globally.[43]
  • 33% of U.S.-focused health and wellness influencers promoted a product, service or subscription in more than half of their posts in 2026.[44]
  • 92% of U.S.-focused health and wellness influencers included product or service promotions at least occasionally in 2026.[44]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational changes connect to throughput and wait-time outcomes. After a glaucoma-clinic workflow policy change, 7.4 additional patients per day could be seen from technician time savings.

Process optimization in the eye care industry

  • 23 ophthalmologists transitioned to remote scribes between March 2022 and September 2023 in a U.S. ophthalmology study examining workflow and satisfaction.[45]
  • 7.4 additional patients per day could be seen after a glaucoma-clinic workflow policy change, based on reported technician time savings in the United States in 2022.[46]
  • 3 to 4 patients per hour is the stated ideal workload for a proficient ophthalmic technician based on a survey of 79 practices and 6,319 workups.[47]
  • 104.2 minutes was the post-relocation median total visit time for retina patients, down from 109.4 minutes at an academic eye institute in the United States.[48]
  • 9.1% was the no-show rate for appointments scheduled 0–2 weeks ahead in a U.S. resident ophthalmology clinic, compared with 38.3% at six months.[2]

Operational efficiency in the eye care industry

  • 16.2 minutes was the post-policy mean in-process wait at a glaucoma clinic, compared with 15.4 minutes before the policy change.[1]
  • 4.7% of 760,678 ophthalmology appointments were no-shows across 109,435 patients at a Canadian vision and research centre during 2013–2024.[49]
  • 26.5% of appointments were cancelled across 760,678 ophthalmology appointments at a Canadian vision and research centre during 2013–2024.[49]
  • 16.4% of 4,628 new-patient ophthalmology appointments were no-shows at Penn State Eye Center in the United States in 2019.[50]
  • 13.4 minutes was the post-policy mean reception wait at a glaucoma clinic, compared with 11.2 minutes before the policy change.[1]

Quality management in the eye care industry

  • 81.9% was the mean patient-satisfaction score in higher-ranked departments at an Indian eye hospital assessed against operational-excellence practices.[51]
  • 80.3% was the overall mean patient-satisfaction score reported across departments in an Indian eye hospital operational-excellence assessment.[51]
  • 9.60 was the mean Net Promoter Score rating for recommending the practice after remote-scribe implementation in a U.S. ophthalmology study.[45]
  • 57% of surveyed UK macular patients reported a delay while waiting for an NHS appointment or treatment between 2021 and 2023.[2]
  • 7.5 million ophthalmology outpatient appointments were recorded in the NHS in 2023, equivalent to approximately 110 appointments per 1,000 population.[2]

Supply chain in the eye care industry

  • 56% of U.S. contact-lens patients were estimated by eye-care professionals to purchase lenses from their practice, according to a 2023 survey.[52]
  • 15,000 doors in 12 markets carried Nuance Audio at EssilorLuxottica’s first-year close in 2025.[19]
  • 600 operations facilities supported EssilorLuxottica’s eye-care, eyewear and medtech business across 150 countries at the end of 2025.[19]
  • 300,000 eye-care professionals were served by EssilorLuxottica worldwide at the end of 2025.[19]
  • 18,000 stores were operated by EssilorLuxottica worldwide at the end of 2025.[19]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the healthcare services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 18% of U.S. medical-group leaders planned to outsource or automate patient communications in contact centers in 2024, according to an MGMA poll with 262 responses.[31]
  • 29% of global healthcare providers used third-party providers for remote patient monitoring in 2024, based on a survey of 28 healthcare-provider executives.[53]
  • 43% of global healthcare providers used third-party providers for payroll services in 2024, based on a survey of 28 healthcare-provider executives.[53]
  • 54% of global healthcare providers used third-party providers for supply-chain services in 2024, based on a survey of 28 healthcare-provider executives.[53]
  • 20% of U.S. medical-group leaders planned to outsource or automate some revenue-cycle-management activities in 2024, according to an MGMA poll with 262 responses.[31]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Margins vary by company and mix rather than a single industry price point. EssilorLuxottica reported an adjusted operating margin of 16.0% in 2025 at constant exchange rates.

Pricing strategy in the eye care industry

  • 7.5% was EssilorLuxottica’s reported revenue growth in 2025 at current exchange rates, reflecting pricing, volume and mix across eye-care products and retail.[19]
  • €28,491 million was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 group revenue from professional solutions and direct-to-consumer activities.[19]
  • 16.0% was EssilorLuxottica’s adjusted operating margin in 2025 at constant exchange rates, affected by U.S. tariffs and AI-glasses pricing and mix.[19]
  • €14,891 million was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 direct-to-consumer revenue, up 6.7% at current exchange rates.[19]
  • 60.9% was EssilorLuxottica’s adjusted gross margin in 2025 at constant exchange rates, after a 260-basis-point decline from 2024.[19]

Cost reduction in the eye care industry

  • 3.9% was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 increase in total operating expenses compared with 2024.[19]
  • €3.54 billion was EssilorLuxottica’s cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2025.[19]
  • 2.0% was the decline in EssilorLuxottica’s reported operating profit in 2025 compared with 2024, despite 7.5% revenue growth.[19]
  • €1,535 million was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 increase in cost of sales compared with 2024, based on reported figures.[19]
  • 70 basis points was the constant-exchange-rate decline in EssilorLuxottica’s adjusted operating margin in 2025.[19]

Profitability in the eye care industry

  • 11.1% was EssilorLuxottica’s adjusted net-profit margin in 2025.[19]
  • €2,443 million was EssilorLuxottica’s reported consolidated net profit in 2025.[19]
  • 11.9% was EssilorLuxottica’s reported IFRS operating-profit margin in 2025.[19]
  • €2,315 million was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 net profit attributable to owners of the parent, down 1.9% from 2024.[19]
  • 15.7% was EssilorLuxottica’s adjusted operating-profit margin in 2025 at current exchange rates.[19]

Financial planning in the eye care industry

  • €10.85 billion was EssilorLuxottica’s net debt at the end of 2025, including €3.56 billion of lease liabilities.[19]
  • €2.8 billion was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 free cash flow, compared with €2.41 billion in 2024.[19]
  • €1,875 million was EssilorLuxottica’s first-half 2025 net profit before minorities.[19]
  • €3.56 billion of EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 net debt consisted of lease liabilities.[19]
  • €14,024 million was EssilorLuxottica’s first-half 2025 revenue, up 5.5% at current exchange rates.[19]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Product and portfolio activity spans licensing and internal manufacturing. Approximately 90% of Alcon products were manufactured internally in 2025 worldwide.

Product development in the eye care industry

  • 20 business-development and licensing transactions were completed by Alcon in 2024 worldwide.[18]
  • More than 100 pipeline products were under development at Alcon in 2021 worldwide.[20]
  • $876 million was invested in research and development by Alcon in 2024 worldwide.[18]
  • 55 Alcon pipeline projects had achieved positive proof of concept or were under regulatory review at December 31, 2024.[18]
  • More than 1,900 Alcon associates worked in research and development in 2024 worldwide.[18]

Product lifecycle in the eye care industry

  • 417 ophthalmic-device revisions involved labeling changes between 1979 and 2015 worldwide.[50]
  • 30% of 2,813 ophthalmic-device revisions from 1979 to 2015 involved manufacturing alterations worldwide.[50]
  • 24% of 2,813 ophthalmic-device revisions from 1979 to 2015 involved device-design changes worldwide.[50]
  • Approximately 90% of Alcon products were manufactured internally in 2025 worldwide.[18]
  • 834 ophthalmic-device revisions involved manufacturing alterations between 1979 and 2015 worldwide.[50]

After-sales in the eye care industry

  • $1.5 billion was estimated for ophthalmic technical services globally in 2022.[54]
  • $1.2 billion was generated by ophthalmic technical services globally in 2021.[54]
  • $1.9 billion was estimated for ophthalmic technical services globally in 2023.[54]
  • $0.6 billion was generated by ophthalmic technical services globally in 2018.[54]
  • $2.2 billion was estimated for ophthalmic technical services globally in 2024.[54]

Value proposition in the eye care industry

  • $1.558 billion was Johnson & Johnson Surgical worldwide sales in 2025.[18]
  • $5.468 billion was Johnson & Johnson Vision worldwide sales in 2025.[18]
  • $3.910 billion was Johnson & Johnson contact-lenses and other worldwide sales in 2025.[18]
  • $10.3 billion was Alcon’s worldwide net sales in 2025, reflecting its eye-care product value proposition across Surgical and Vision Care.[18]
  • $9.8 billion was Alcon’s worldwide net sales in 2024 across Surgical and Vision Care.[18]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability reporting covers packaging and emissions. ACUVUE reported a 40% reduction in primary-packaging plastic content.

Sustainability in the eye care industry

  • More than 100 HOYA Vision Care ambassadors supported the One Vision sustainability program globally in 2025.[55]
  • 400 EssilorLuxottica stores are planned to be WELL certified by 2027.[19]
  • 65% of EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 energy mix came from renewable sources globally in 2025.[19]
  • 74 was HOYA’s employee-engagement score in its FY2024 survey.[55]
  • 52% of EssilorLuxottica collections launched in 2025 used alternative materials.[19]

ESG in the eye care industry

  • 13 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals were addressed by EssilorLuxottica’s sustainability program in 2025.[19]
  • A- was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 CDP Water Security rating.[56]
  • 66 was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment score.[56]
  • Four material ESG issues were identified by HOYA in 2021: greenhouse-gas reduction, engagement and diversity, product quality and safety, and supply-chain management.[55]
  • 89th percentile was EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 EcoVadis assessment result.[56]

Ethics in the eye care industry

  • 95% of Bausch + Lomb employees reviewed and acknowledged its Global Human Rights Policy in 2025.[57]
  • Approximately 400 eye-health products comprise Bausch + Lomb’s portfolio covered by its ethics program.[58]
  • 100% of Bausch + Lomb global employees completed required corporate-governance and compliance training in 2025.[57]
  • 18 languages were used to translate Bausch + Lomb’s Global Human Rights Policy in 2025.[57]
  • More than 120 EssilorLuxottica professionals were dedicated to sustainability projects and initiatives in 2025.[19]

CSR in the eye care industry

  • 4,000 Alcon associates from 40 sites volunteered during the company’s first standalone Alcon in Action day in 2019.[59]
  • More than 7,300 EssilorLuxottica employees volunteered in 2025.[19]
  • More than 1 billion people had permanent access to vision care through the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation since 2013 by 2025.[19]
  • 33,400 optical points had been established in rural communities by EssilorLuxottica by 2024.[19]
  • Nearly $500,000 was donated by the Bausch Foundation to philanthropic and community causes in 2025.[57]

Circular economy in the eye care industry

  • 40% was the reduction in primary-packaging plastic content reported by ACUVUE.[60]
  • 89% of raw materials were recycled onsite at ACUVUE manufacturing sites in 2025.[60]
  • 10.5% of spectacle-lens-cleaner spray bottles were recycled or reused by survey respondents in South Africa.[51]
  • 8.5 million contact lenses and cups were recycled through the ACUVUE UK program by 2025.[60]
  • 16.7% of contact-lens-related plastic waste was recycled or reused by survey respondents in South Africa.[51]

Carbon footprint in the eye care industry

  • 4,144,791 tonnes of Scope 3 emissions were reported by EssilorLuxottica in 2025.[19]
  • 4,645,220 tonnes of EssilorLuxottica market-based GHG emissions were reported for 2025.[19]
  • 5,221,854 tonnes of EssilorLuxottica location-based GHG emissions were reported for 2025.[19]
  • 118,744 tonnes of Scope 1 emissions were reported by EssilorLuxottica in 2025.[19]
  • 29% was EssilorLuxottica’s reduction in Scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions from 2022 to 2025.[19]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

International sales concentration differs across firms. EssilorLuxottica’s 2025 revenue was concentrated in North America at 46%, followed by EMEA at 40%.

Globalization in the eye care industry

  • 46% of Alcon’s 2024 sales, or $4.5 billion, came from the United States.[20]
  • $9.8 billion was Alcon’s global net sales in 2024, comprising surgical and vision-care products worldwide.[18]
  • Asia had single-digit contact-lens penetration compared with double-digit penetration in developed markets, according to Alcon’s 2024 filing.[18]
  • $26.5 billion was EssilorLuxottica’s 2024 revenue across North America, EMEA, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.[19]
  • $4.3 billion was Alcon’s 2024 Vision Care revenue from contact lenses and ocular-health products.[18]

Stakeholder management in the eye care industry

  • 91 office locations were operated by PRISM-affiliated practices when McKesson announced its 2025 acquisition agreement.[67]
  • 7 ambulatory surgery centers were part of PRISM’s network when McKesson announced its 2025 acquisition agreement.[67]
  • More than 180 providers were affiliated with PRISM Vision when McKesson agreed to acquire a controlling interest in 2025.[67]

Distribution channels in the eye care industry

  • More than 80% of frames and lenses were purchased in physical U.S. locations in 2025, according to The Vision Council.[3]
  • 7% of EssilorLuxottica’s 2024 sales came through e-commerce.[19]
  • 40% of EssilorLuxottica’s 2024 sales came through brick-and-mortar channels.[19]
  • Contact lenses had the highest online-purchase share among U.S. vision products in 2025, according to The Vision Council.[3]

Key questions about the Eye Care Industry

What is the eye care market size in 2026?
The global vision care market is expected to reach $39.2 billion in 2026, up from $37.9 billion in 2025.
How fast is the vision care market expected to grow through 2033?
The market is forecast to grow from $39.2 billion in 2026 to $49.5 billion by 2033, a 3.4% CAGR from 2026 to 2033.
Which companies lead the eye care industry?
HOYA leads Gitnux's 2026 eye care ranking with an Overall score of 9.5, with Life Care business at ¥590.7 billion, driven by eyeglass lenses and other healthcare products. ZEISS is the highest-ranked eye diagnostics equipment provider at 9.1, with ophthalmic diagnostics and surgical systems, backed by R&D at 15% of revenue.
How is the industry structured across products and channels?
The industry spans vision correction and ocular-care products, ophthalmic diagnostic devices, therapeutic and diagnostic applications, and B2B and B2C distribution.
How common is recurring demand for contact lenses in the U.S.?
Over 80% of U.S. contact-lens wearers purchased lenses at least once per year in 2025. Warby Parker’s filings also cited the recurring pattern, with most wearers purchasing at least once during the year.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Eye Care Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/eye-care-industry-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Eye Care Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/eye-care-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Eye Care Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/eye-care-industry-statistics.

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