Power Hour Optometry Podcast: Vision Council 2025 Industry Data - Exam Volume Declines, Spending Shifts & What's Next for 2026

Date: January 30, 2026
Host: Eugene Schatzman (The Power Practice)
Guests: Ashley Mills (Vision Council CEO), Elise Hinkle (Vision Council Research & Insights Lead)
Location: Vision Council Executive Summit

Episode Overview

Recorded live from the Vision Council Executive Summit, this episode dives deep into the 2025 industry data released by the Vision Council, covering major trends, concerns, and opportunities facing the optometric industry. The conversation explores declining eye exam volumes, shifting consumer behaviors, how practices and vendors can respond, and what to expect from Vision Expo 2026 in Orlando. The episode also features a robust discussion about industry advocacy efforts, affordability, and access to care.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Vision Council Executive Summit: Purpose & Attendees

• Purpose: Annual gathering of the top 300 industry leaders for networking, professional development, and strategic planning.
• Who attends: CEOs, founders, lab executives, vendors, innovators, and new entrants, mostly preparing for the upcoming Vision Expo.
  (03:46–05:22)

  "It's really the top 300 vision industry leaders... They find value in networking and what they learn from each other."
  —Ashley Mills [03:46]

2. Vision Expo 2026: A Unified Industry Destination

• Major Shift: Moving to a single, unified annual event in Orlando to accommodate practice owners' schedules and create one comprehensive showcase.

• Three Focus Areas:

  • Fashion, Wearability & Wearables
  • Practice Growth & Profitability (including live strategies to boost capture rate)
  • Innovation (medical technology, AI integration)

• Experiences: 100+ new exhibitors, focus on audiology as a growth segment, software/hardware integration, extensive networking, exclusive continuing education.
  (05:22–10:20)

  "We have created the one catalyzing event that really unifies the whole industry one time of year."
  —Ashley Mills [05:22]

  "If practices grow, then the industry grows... You can make better product or make practices run more efficiently."
  —Eugene Schatzman [08:37]

3. Industry Data Deep Dive: How Did 2025 Compare?

Data Sources & Reliability

• Massive sample size:
  • 2,750 independent practices (50–60 million transactions)
  • Credit card data from ~85,000 optical retailers (80 million records)
  • Monthly consumer surveys (48,000 respondents/year)
  • Retail location tracking
    (11:08–13:36)

  "That is the definition of big data, right."
  —Elise Hinkle [12:53]

Industry-Level Results

• Total Market Value (2025): $69.5 billion (4.4% growth, ~$3B YoY)
• Key Categories Tracked: Exams, Frames, Ophthalmic Lenses, Contact Lenses, Readers (Plano), Plano Sunglasses
  (13:36–14:24)

Category-by-Category Breakdown

• Exams:
  • Down 7% in volume (number of exams performed)
  • Revenue per exam up ~$10 year-over-year (from $92 to $102)
  • Total exam revenue up 4%

  "A really big decline in exam counts for the year. About 7% fewer exams in '25 than '24."
  —Elise Hinkle [15:33]

  "If you lost less than 7%, you're doing better than average."
  —Eugene Schatzman [15:33]

• Frames:
  • Volume down 3%, but revenue up by 8% (price increases driven by tariffs; practices raising prices to maintain margins)
  • Vendors encouraged price hikes ahead of further tariff impositions

  "Frames were particularly price sensitive to tariffs this year."
  —Elise Hinkle [18:12]

• Lenses:
  • Volume down 6%, value down 1% (possible fewer add-ons, less premium lens selection by patients compared to previous years).
• Contact Lenses:
  • Volume down 5%, value up only 1%.
• Overall Trend: Value up, but primarily driven by higher prices, not unit sales.
  (14:51–21:07)

  "It's not a sustainable long-term growth when we're just seeing growth on price alone and not unit counts."
  —Elise Hinkle [21:07]

4. Consumer Insights: Why Are Fewer People Getting Exams?

• Survey Findings:

  • The traditional top reason for skipping exams (“I don't need one”) declined by 6 percentage points.
  • Cost concerns ("My insurance doesn't cover the full cost" or "I can't afford it") increased by 6 points.
  • Patients increasingly see exams as discretionary or luxury spending amid economic uncertainty. (21:07–24:58)

  "Cost is top of mind... maybe I do need one, but I feel like I can't afford it."
  —Elise Hinkle [23:22]

  "Yes, we made more money, but we saw fewer patients as an industry, which means that the patients we did see are either not price sensitive or more likely... they had to come see us, but they may stretch whatever they bought from us for longer..."
  —Eugene Schatzman [25:21]

• Broader Consumer Behavior:

  • Consumers prioritized spending on travel/restaurants over optical purchases.
  • Exam delays and trade-downs in lens/frame selection noted.

5. Implications & Concerns for the Industry

• Unsustainable Growth:
  • Core concern is that revenue increases can’t come exclusively from price hikes.
  • Risk of patients further delaying care in response to higher perceived costs.
  • Need for improved value communication and strategies to drive patient retention and frequency.
    (21:07–26:46)

  "There are playbooks in place to get patients to come back... to help them understand the value... But as an industry, we need to do more."
  —Eugene Schatzman [26:46]

6. Industry Response: Vendor & Practice Strategies

How Are Vendors Adapting?

• Emphasis on Value:
  • Increased dialogue about communicating value of vision products/services across all price points.
  • Focused innovation: AI integration, tech-enabled patient experiences, empowering staff.
• Vision Council’s Mission:
  • Promote growth by increasing exams and consumer awareness.
  • Vision Expo as an economic engine for these efforts.

Advocacy Efforts

• Political Engagement:

  • Advocacy in Washington DC: Stressing that tariffs and economic climate directly reduce access/affordability.
  • Framing eyewear as “Class 1 medical devices” to push for tariff exemptions (unsuccessful so far, but ongoing).
  • Outreach to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid; pushing for funding, especially for children’s vision.

• Bipartisan Resonance:

  • Both Democrats and Republicans attentive to access and affordability issues for their constituents.

  "Their mission—the mission statement of the Vision Council... is because we believe that together we can promote growth for all in the entire vision community."
  —Ashley Mills [31:44]

  "In a first world country, everyone should have the opportunity to see an eye doctor once a year."
  —Ashley Mills [37:41]

7. Industry Structure Data: Independents vs. Chains

• 2025 Eye Care Locations:

  • ~44,341 locations in the US providing exams and prescription eyewear

• Market Breakdown:

  • 57% (25,000) are independent practices (3 or fewer locations)
  • 43% (19,000) are small/medium/large chains
  • Small chain = 4–10 doors; medium = 11–49; large = 50+

• Stability:

  • Roughly stable footprint year-over-year, with only small changes in openings/closings.

  "Pretty stable year to year... a few openings, a few closings..."
  —Elise Hinkle [42:24]

8. Looking Forward: Vision Expo & Practice Growth

• Vision Expo as a Tool:
  • Opportunity for practices to see innovation, get practical strategies, and join targeted CE to battle industry challenges.
  • Emphasized as "the best three days you could spend if you want to grow your business and serve your patients."
    (06:58–09:26), (42:42–43:55)
• Preview:
  • New “Eye Care Boss” system debut for practice optimization and scalability.
  • Wide range of educational tracks and resources tailored to current market dynamics.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the Exam Drop:

  "That's, that in itself could be the headline of the episode... fact that there were 7% fewer exams across the board... If you only lost 3% or if you gained 1%... you're doing better than average."
  —Eugene Schatzman [15:33]

• On Consumer Delays:

  "People are telling us in the exam category that cost is top of mind... may be more reticent even to go in for an exam only kind of appointment."
  —Elise Hinkle [23:22, 24:58]

• Unsustainable Trends:

  "It's not a sustainable long-term growth when we're just seeing growth on price alone and not unit counts."
  —Elise Hinkle [21:07]

• On Vendor Opportunity:

  "These manufacturers are clued in to how to really talk about the value of the product, the value of your vision, the price point... get the right story and help to make the case to the patient."
  —Ashley Mills [31:44]

• On Access to Care:

  "In a first world country, everyone should have the opportunity to see an eye doctor once a year. Every child, every person. And it's resonating."
  —Ashley Mills [37:41]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] Introduction, overview, and episode roadmap
• [03:46–05:22] Executive Summit context and Vision Expo 2026 vision
• [10:20–14:24] Data collection methodology and 2025 industry topline data
• [14:51–21:07] Detailed category performance (exams, frames, lenses, contacts)
• [21:07–26:46] Consumer survey findings and impact on care-seeking behavior
• [31:44–34:13] Industry and vendor response: Strategies for adding value
• [34:13–40:08] Advocacy efforts and access/affordability policy updates
• [40:40–42:42] Industry structure: Independents vs. chains, year-over-year change
• [42:42–43:55] Episode wrap-up and outlook for practices

Tone & Concluding Perspective

The episode features candid, data-driven conversations laced with realism, concern, but also optimism about industry adaptability and advocacy. Guests and host maintain a collaborative, pragmatic, yet urgent tone, encouraging listeners to adapt, innovate, and advocate for sustainable growth and expanded access to eye care.

For listeners:
If you missed the numbers or want a blueprint for action—listen back for the deep dives on how the profession can respond and thrive in 2026. And consider visiting Vision Expo in Orlando for practical tools, firsthand innovation, and CE designed to tackle these urgent challenges.