The latest data from The Vision Council, a nonprofit trade association for manufacturers and suppliers of the optical industry in the United States, suggests that online shopping remains strong but that people still prefer to buy their glasses and contacts in person.
“Overall, for the past three years, the online side of the market has remained steady,” Ms Alysse Henkel, vice president of research and inSights at The Vision Council, has been reported as saying.
“For frames and lenses it’s about 11% online, and 40% of contact lenses purchases online. In-person [purchasing] is still the biggest part of the market.”
Henkel said the overall eyecare market in the US, which includes exams, frames, spectacle lenses, contact lenses, plano sunglasses and readers grew about 2.7% from 2023 to 2024, for a total market value of US$68.3 billion (AU$107 billion).
“Plano sunglasses had a great year last year and helped boost the market,” she said. “Exams had a small increase. Other areas had a small decline.”
One area of decline was prescription eyewear, Henkel said.
“[This] is a part of a larger trend in the economy where we’re seeing people turn toward more budget products,” she said. “It depends on their disposable income. But over the last 2 years it’s been a consistent pattern. Consumers are telling us they’re spending less out of pocket on eyewear.”
Previously, 35% of respondents said they spent $200 (AU$315) or more on eyewear, with the same percentage saying they spent less than $100 (AU$158) out of pocket.
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