Overview of the Contact Lens 

Marketplace – Part 2 

Wallace W. Lovejoy

Lovejoy Eyecare Consulting LLC

On behalf of the National Association of Optometrists and Opticians
2017 Prescriber Supply and Practice Modality 

• There are approximately 42,900 US optometrists & 16,700 

ophthalmologists 

• Roughly 12,500 ODs are affiliated with optical retail chains (11,300 

locations); most do not sell contact lenses or eye glasses. *

• Nearly 26,000 ODs are involved in private practice (24,000 locations) and 

typically sell contact lenses and eyeglasses. 

• Prescriber owned chains (e.g., Vision Source, My Eye Dr., Eye Care Partners, Ossip, 

TSO, Today’s Vision) are considered “private practice” and are not included in the 

optical chain location count. 
Changes in the supply of optometrists and 

eyewear retail locations

• 1975 – 20,000 active ODs, 85% self-employed, with most of the the 

rest employed by other ODs. 

• ODs performed 29 million eye exams, 57% of the 51 million total.

• 1986 – 24,500 active ODs, 73% in private practice

• 2003 – 22,500 independent prescribers selling CLs; approximately 

16,500 other retail locations 

• 2012 – 40,000 ODs in active practice - 22,800 (57%) independent; 

9600 (24%) in affiliation with optical chains; 18,000 ophthalmologists

• ODs performed 88 million refractive eye exams (of 104 million)
Practice Formats for Chain-Affiliated Doctors

• Independent Contractor – typically an optometrist (but may be a physician) with a sublease or license agreement for an equipped office (may be more than one) 

co-located with an optical retailer

• Most sublease and license agreements specify that the prescriber will not sell eyewear. 

Some allow the prescriber to sell contact lenses.

• This is this most frequently used format, covering over 80% of the locations.

• The sublessee/licensee often employs optometrists to staff the office(s).

• Direct employee of the optical retailer 

• Estimated to be 5-10% of the optical retail locations.

• Most states prohibit the corporate practice of both medicine and optometry.

• Franchise 

• Estimated to be 5-10%.

• The owner may be a prescriber or an optician/retailer, and may employ or contract with 

prescribers.

• The franchise sells eyewear.
Who Prescribes Contact Lenses

• In 2013, ODs performed 85% of the comprehensive eye exams in the US 

and wrote 90% of the prescriptions for corrective eyewear.

• Contact lens exams were 27% of the refractive exams by ODs.

• In 2017, independent ECPs (including OMDs) performed 63.3% of CL eye 

exams.

• ODs affiliated with optical retailers performed 28.1% of CL eye exams.

• 8.7% of CL wearers reported “other/don’t know” where they got the exam.

• Presumably, ophthalmologists wrote under 10% of the Rxs for CLs.

• In 2017, independent ECPs sold 37.3 % of contact lenses.

• This suggests ophthalmologists sold under 4% of contact lenses.

• Many ophthalmologists have limited or no dispensaries, or have a sublease or license 

agreement with an optical dispenser who sells corrective eyewear. 
Contact lens share by product modality 

Dollar share (from industry sources)

• One day wear = 40-45% and growing

• 2 week = 20-22% and declining

• Monthly = 30-35%

• GP/Specialty/Custom = < 5%

Patient share (from Vision Council):

• Daily Lenses in 2017: 28.7%

• Weekly: 22.3%

• Monthly: 39.8%

• GP/Specialty/Custom: 9.2%
Impact of Vision Care Insurance on Contact Lens Sales

• Employers often offer vision benefits as an option, and individual and family plans 

are also available. Monthly premiums for an individual typically are $10-20.

• About 50% of US adults have vision care coverage; all children with health 

insurance have vision care (the ACA made pediatric vision care an “essential 

health benefit.”) 

• About 50% of contact lens buyers report using vision care benefits in their last 

purchase of contact lenses. Nearly 2/3 of eyeglass buyers used vision care 

benefits.

• Major vision plans include VSP, EyeMed, Davis

• An eye exam with refraction is a typical benefit, often with a co-pay ($10-20).

• A dollar allowance for eyeglass frames and lenses is also often included; generally $115 - $150 (some higher priced plans offer higher allowances.)

• The eyewear benefit in many plans can be used for contact lens fitting/evaluation and 

product.

• Plans may also provide discounts on services and products beyond allowances.
Contact Lens Price Ranges by Sales Channel

ALCON AIR 

OPTIX AQUA

ALCON AIR OPTIX 

NIGHT & DAY 

AQUA

BAUSCH & 

LOMB ULTRA

COOPERVISION 

BIOFINITY

COOPERVISION 

AVAIRA

ACUVUE OASYS 2-

WEEK

ACUVUE 

VITA

Independent Optometrist Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $204 $292 $241 $207 $276 $240 $218 

Current Rebate Value $0 ($60) ($60) ($50) ($30) ($40) ($40)

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $204 $232 $181 $157 $246 $200 $178 

Internet Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $151 $237 $216 $149 $220 $207 $194 

Current Rebate Value ($33) ($40) ($30) ($25) ($45) ($34) $0 

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $117 $197 $186 $124 $174 $172 $194 

National Retail Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $219 $301 $245 $196 $268 $254 $227 

Current Rebate Value ($57) ($67) ($40) ($33) ($40) ($31) ($50)

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $163 $233 $205 $162 $228 $223 $177 

Club Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $149 $244 $216 $142 $173 $194 $240 

Current Rebate Value ($38) ($62) ($40) ($15) $0 ($20) ($20)

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $112 $182 $176 $127 $173 $174 $220 
Contact Lens Price Ranges by Sales Channel: Dailies

ALCON DAILIES

AQUACOMFORT 

PLUS

ALCON 

DAILIES 

TOTAL 1

BAUSCH & 

LOMB 

BIOTRUE 

ONEDAY

COOPERVISI

ON 

PROCLEAR 

1-DAY

COOPERVISION 

MYDAY

COOPERVISION 

CLARITI

ACUVUE 

MOIST

ACUVUE 

OASYS 1-DAY

ACUVUE 

TRUEYE

Independent Optometrist 

Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $524 $768 $570 $554 $689 $531 $558 $720 $677

Current Rebate Value ($120) ($120) ($90) $0 ($130) ($130) ($120) ($200) ($120)

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $404 $648 $480 $554 $559 $401 $438 $520 $557

Internet Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $439 $723 $486 $493 $644 $513 $505 $673 $650

Current Rebate Value ($99) ($107) ($48) ($52) ($41) ($46) ($62) ($91) ($63)

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $339 $615 $437 $441 $603 $467 $443 $582 $587

National Retail Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $584 $836 $599 $543 $653 $569 $584 $755 $735

Current Rebate Value ($106) ($133) ($70) ($84) ($108) ($70) ($100) ($154) ($128)

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $478 $703 $529 $459 $545 $499 $484 $602 $607

Club Channel

Annual Supply Average Price $365 $664 $476 $453 $680 $482 $446 $631 $539

Current Rebate Value ($140) ($140) ($70) ($50) ($50) ($90) ($30) ($50) $0

Annual Supply Price After Rebate $225 $524 $406 $403 $630 $392 $416 $581 $539