As the optics market enters a new era defined by innovation and shifting consumer needs, it is clear that personal health remains at the forefront of purchasing decisions. Brendan Dowd, from consumer intelligence company NielsenIQ (NIQ), writes that global market data for 2025 provides insight into what to expect in 2026.

WRITER Brendan Dowd

Even as global economic headwinds intensify, consumers continue to prioritise personal wellness, NIQ data shows. Globally, 30% of consumers say they feel better off financially than a year ago, yet 32% still feel worse – creating a cautious but stable environment for health-related purchases.

Global gross domestic product (GDP) forecasts for 2025 heading into 2026 were relatively stable, though heightened trade tensions and policy uncertainty have led to weaker consumer confidence globally in 2025. Within this climate, integrated analytics from NIQ and its subsidiary GfK provide a stabilising lens, offering the world’s most comprehensive views of consumer behaviour. For optics specifically, NIQ’s global lens tracking serves as a critical benchmark for understanding how the category is evolving under these pressures.

A SHIFTING GLOBAL BACKDROP

Despite macroeconomic turbulence, the optics sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience. While consumer confidence in many Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) markets weakened in 2025, essential categories, such as vision correction, were less price elastic. This is evident in global contact lens sales, which grew 5.5% in value in 2024 and were tracking at +4.1% growth in 2025 per NIQ’s global optics sales reporting. Daily disposable lenses have increased their share of global value to 61%, up from 57% in 2022, illustrating the strength of premiumisation, even in constrained economic conditions. Meanwhile, online contact lens sales rose by 7% globally yearonyear, contributing to a total online share of 29%.

AUSTRALIA IN THE GLOBAL LANDSCAPE

Australia mirrors many of these global trends while exhibiting its own distinct behaviours. Screen exposure continues to rise: studies in the US show that 50% of teenagers spend four hours or more on screens daily, and 70% of adults report symptoms of digital eye strain.1 Similar patterns in Australia are driving more frequent prescription updates, particularly among younger adults. However, eye exam frequency still lags behind ideal levels; globally, only 47% of people had an eye examination in the past 12 months, with Germany as low as 31%.

At the same time, Australia’s ageing population fuels demand for presbyopia solutions. The UN World Population Prospects forecast that by 2050 more than 25% of the population in advanced economies will be aged 65 or older,2 increasing reliance on both progressive spectacle lenses and multifocal contact lenses. This shift in demographics will help drive future momentum for the optics market.

MYOPIA MANAGEMENT: FROM NICHE TO MAINSTREAM

Few segments illustrate the evolution of eye care as clearly as myopia management. Across key Asia Pacific (APAC) markets such as Japan, China, and South Korea, NIQ sales tracking shows myopia management lenses have grown fourfold between 2021 and 2024. In some East Asian markets, up to 80–90% of teenagers and young adults are now myopic according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology,3 prompting significant investment from families seeking preventative solutions.

Globally, myopia prevalence is expected to reach 50% of the population by 2050, with 40% of children and teenagers affected.4 This has elevated demand for clinically proven interventions such as MiSight 1 day, Acuvue Abiliti, HOYA MiyoSmart, and Essilor Stellest. A global 2025 NIQ study of eye care providers found that 79% of optometrists in Europe were regularly fitting contact lenses, and 55% now offer myopia management. Though the sample size of optometrists in Australia was small, the findings indicated that uptake is accelerating quickly as awareness increases among parents and practitioners.

SMART GLASSES AND THE RISE OF INTELLIGENT EYEWEAR

Smart glasses have undergone a dramatic transformation from early prototypes to credible consumer products. EssilorLuxottica’s RayBan Meta, one of the first successful artificial intelligence (AI)enabled eyewear launches, recorded extraordinary growth – up 203% in top European markets from 2023 to 2024 and up 158% yeartodate in 2025.5 These adoption levels demonstrate consumer readiness for eyewear that integrates communication, productivity, and lifestyle features.

New entrants reinforce this trajectory. Google’s Android XR smart glasses, powered by Gemini AI, and Apple’s planned 2026 smart glasses signal rapid expansion. EssilorLuxottica has now entered the audio-vision space with United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)approved prescription glasses incorporating hearing enhancement technology, underscoring the convergence of eyewear, health tech, and AI.

For optical retailers, the opportunity lies in service. Smart glasses often require fitting, adjustments, and ongoing support – areas where optometrists are uniquely positioned to differentiate.

PREMIUMISATION AS A DEFINING FORCE

Premiumisation continues to propel value growth across optical categories. Globally, contact lens prices have grown faster than CPI inflation in several major markets, particularly the US and Europe. Specialty lenses – daily toric, daily multifocal, and cosmetic – are outperforming more traditional segments. In APAC market sales tracking, silicone hydrogel lenses have grown 37% in volume since 2020, while traditional hydrogel lenses have declined 33%.

Across eyewear, progressive spectacle lenses remain the strongest value contributor, with NIQ European sales data showing unit share rising steadily from 23.8% in 2022 to 28.2% in 2025. Sunglasses also skew toward premium retail, with strong uptake of fashionled and ‘quiet luxury’ designs. Even value-conscious consumers increasingly choose higherquality products when benefits – comfort, clarity, and durability – are clear.

THE ACCELERATION OF ONLINE AND SUBSCRIPTION MODELS

Online purchasing behaviours are reshaping the global optics ecosystem. Japan’s online share has reached 38% in 2025, while China’s online and social commerce channels now represent the vast majority of total contact lens sales. In Japan, online prices average 20% lower than in bricksandmortar stores, influencing consumer channel choice.

Australia is following a similar path, with hybrid purchasing emerging as a typical behaviour. Some consumers book eye exams in practice, then reorder lenses online via subscription or directtoconsumer channels. However, eye care providers are still the leading driver for the brand or product a consumer purchases when choosing a lens, with consumers turning to their eye health professional to help guide their decision-making process.

LOOKING AHEAD: WHAT THE NEXT CHAPTER HOLDS

The optics market in 2025 was characterised by resilience, innovation, and shifting consumer behaviour. Australia’s digitally enabled, healthconscious consumers place the market at the forefront of global transformation – from smart eyewear and premium contact lenses to preventative myopia care. Even amid economic headwinds, demand continues to grow on the strength of essential health needs and rising expectations for personalised, technologyenhanced vision solutions.

The next chapter of the optics sector will be shaped by several intersecting forces. Myopia management will continue expanding as prevalence rises and new clinical evidence strengthens. Smart eyewear will transition from niche to mainstream as AI integration matures. Ageing demographics will increase demand for presbyopia correction, while sustainability concerns will influence both packaging and product design.

Economic uncertainty may continue into 2026, but essential health categories, such as optics, have demonstrated strong and structural resilience. The future of optics lies not only in clearer sight but in smarter, more proactive, and more connected approaches to eye health – and the momentum behind this evolution is unmistakably accelerating.

Brendan Dowd is the Group Account Director for Australia and New Zealand at NielsenIQ (NIQ).

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, providing a connected view of global shopper and market behaviour across more than 100 countries. Within the optics sector, NIQ maintains one of the broadest global tracking panels, spanning contact lenses, spectacle lenses, frames, sunglasses, and care products across more than 20 countries. Its insights support manufacturers, retailers, and practitioners in navigating a period of rapid category transformation.

References available at mivision.com.au.