Jan. 23, 2025 — The Vision Council (TVC) has released its 2024 Market inSights report, providing a comprehensive analysis of the performance, consumer behavior, and trends in the U.S. optical industry. The report is based on transaction data, retail location insights, and consumer surveys across major optical product categories, including exams, frames, lenses, contact lenses, plano sunglasses, and readers.
Key findings for 2024 include the following:
- The optical industry reached a total market value of $68.3 billion, reflecting a 2.7% increase compared to 2023. Glasses lenses led prescription sales at $17.2 billion, while plano sunglasses dominated the nonprescription category with $17.8 billion in sales.
- While post-pandemic spending surges in 2022 drove notable market growth, 2024 saw a stabilization in consumer spending. Budget-conscious purchasing patterns emerged, contributing to declines in several product categories.
- In-person shopping remained dominant, but online sales continued to grow, particularly for contact lenses (39% of sales) and plano sunglasses (32%).
- With economic uncertainty influencing consumer behavior, budget-friendly options are expected to shape the 2025 market.
- Both value and volume of eye exams increased by 3% and 1%, respectively.
- Sales of prescription-related products declined slightly, with decreases of 5% or less in both value and volume.
- Plano sunglasses experienced significant growth, with a 15% increase in value and an 8% rise in volume. Reading glasses saw a 6% increase in volume but a 2% decline in sales value, reflecting a shift toward budget or bulk purchases.
“More than 240 million adults in the U.S., or 92% of the population, regularly use some form of eyewear, demonstrating the essential role of optical products in daily life,” says Alysse Henkel, TVC’s vice president of research and inSights. “The Vision Council’s 2024 Market inSights report demonstrates our commitment to providing a range of stakeholders with the actionable intelligence they need to understand industry dynamics and make more informed business decisions.”
The full report is available here as a complimentary download for members and for nonmembers to purchase.