ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Vision Council has released its Market inSights Q2 2025 report, providing new market data and analysis reporting for the optical industry for the quarter. Revealing performance across categories including eye exams, eyeglasses, frames, lenses, contact lenses, readers and plano sunglasses, the analysis reported an estimated Q2 market value of $17.4 billion for the industry, with sales falling by $800 million compared with the first quarter of 2025, which the announcement noted was “expected with seasonal shopping trends inherent in the optical sector.”

Market value for the industry declined 1.5 percent year over year, the announcement said, and all product categories, except plano sunglasses, experienced a decline in sales volume compared with the first quarter of the year.

“The second quarter data reflect both the challenges and resilience within the optical industry,” said Alysse Henkel, vice president of research and inSights. “While overall market value softened compared with the first quarter, we continue to see consistent demand for core vision care, including comprehensive eye exams and prescription lenses.”

“At the same time, consumer preferences show a willingness to pay more per exam or frame—suggesting that consumers are still investing in their eyecare and eyewear even as sales volumes have decreased,” she added. “These patterns provide valuable insight for businesses as they navigate a changing marketplace and plan for the remainder of 2025.”

Key highlights from the report for Q2 include the following:

The market value of exams for Q2 2025 is 14 percent higher compared with Q2 2024, but the market volume decreased year-over-year by 4.5 percent. With these estimates, the average value of an exam in Q2 is almost $17 more than it was one year ago.
Lenses led the prescription market in value and were up nearly 4 percent compared with Q2 2024.
Compared with 2024, the volume of frames sold is down, while the average value of a pair of frames has increased by an estimated $21.
The average value of a pair of purchased plano sunglasses decreased both year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter.
The market volume of readers remained steady compared with Q1 2025, but overall, the market volume and value for readers has decreased since Q2 2024.
The contact lenses market had a 7 percent decrease in volume compared with Q2 2024, but only a 1 percent decrease compared with Q1 2025.

The Vision Council noted that the 2025 quarterly estimates are based on a variety of routinely updated 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. It noted that adjustments may be made to previously published estimates.

The full report is available in The Vision Council’s Research Download Center here. Members of The Vision Council can access the report immediately at no cost, while non-members can purchase the report for $1,000.

For more information about the Market inSights report or The Vision Council’s research program, click here.