Latest Research from The Vision Council Examines Health of Market for First Quarter of 2025
Alexandria, VA – June 20, 2025 – The Vision Council recently released a new report, Market inSights Q1 2025, offering an overview of the size of the market during the first quarter of the year. This report includes the total value and volume of the core products and services sold by optical retailers, as well as an updated forecast for the remainder of 2025.
“This most recent Market inSights quarterly report delivers visibility into the current state of the optical industry and what consumers are prioritizing,” said Alysse Henkel, Vice President of Research and inSights. “Looking at how the data compares to previous quarters and year over year comparisons has better empowered us to update our 2025 estimated forecast to aid industry leaders looking to plan strategically for the future.”
Q1 Report Highlights
- The market value and volume of exams from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025 remained steady, which is atypical. There is typically a seasonal increase in the volume of exams in Q1 due to managed vision care benefits resetting.
- Lenses led the prescription market in value, showing a 1.4% increase over Q1 2024.
- Compared to 2024, the volume of frames sold is down, while the average value of a pair of frames has increased.
- The market value of plano sunglasses demonstrated double-digit year over year and quarter over quarter growth.
- The market volume and value of readers experienced growth over both the last year and last quarter.
- The contact lenses market demonstrated 12% growth in volume since Q4 2024.
The 2025 quarterly estimates are based on a variety of data sources, including consumer retail credit card spending data, patient billing and payment data, and optical retail location data, along with a robust consumer survey program. The data sources used in this report are routinely updated. Adjustments may be made to previously published estimates.
The full report is available in The Vision Council’s Research Download Center. Members of The Vision Council can access immediately at no cost, while non-members can purchase the report directly for $1,000.
For more information about the Market inSights report or The Vision Council's research program, visit thevisioncouncil.org.
More about the inSights Research Program
The Vision Council’s inSights Research Program is built on a foundation of rigorous methodology and cutting-edge technology. The inSights Research Program provides a comprehensive perspective on the state of the optical industry through quarterly consumer survey reports; in-depth special reports on eyewear and eyecare products and topics; and an end-of-year market estimate and industry forecast.