Optical Goods Retailers NAICS 456130
Unlock access to the full platform with more than 900 industry reports and local economic insights.
Get access to this Industry Profile including 18+ chapters and more than 50 pages of industry research.
Industry Summary
The 4,000 optical goods retailers fit and sell prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses. Companies may sell non-prescription eyewear, grind lenses to order on-premise, and offer eye care services. Opticians dispense prescription eyewear, measure frames, and offer customer service related to eyewear. Firms may offer eye exams by optometrists, who examine, diagnose, and treat eye conditions and write prescriptions for eyeglasses and contact lenses. Optical goods retailers typically provide a broad selection of products, including designer-branded frames and private-label eyewear. Firms may operate optical laboratories or rely on contract labs.
Industry Concentration
The entire optical industry is highly concentrated and dominated by large players.
Competition with Alternative Sources
Optical goods retailers compete with a range of alternative sources, including independent eye care practitioners, large retailers, and online-only retailers.
Recent Developments
Apr 2, 2026 - Tariff Refund Applications may Take Up To 45 Days To Review, Process
- The US Customs and Border Protection agency said in an early April filing that tariff refund payments may take up to 45 days to review and process once its new claims portal system is operational. Firms like optical goods retailers that paid tariffs on imported goods will be able to apply for refunds through the portal. The customs agency set an initial deadline of April for the system to be up and running. The system will accept refund applications without requiring the more than 330,000 importers who paid tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to sue for reimbursement. The US Court of International Trade is overseeing the process for tariff refunds to importers who paid levies issued by the Trump administration. The duties were ultimately deemed unlawful by the US Supreme Court in February, but the high court did not issue guidance on how to issue refunds.
- Vision Source was the leading optical retailer in the United States in 2024 with $3.03 billion in sales, according to Vision Monday. Luxottica retail and National Vision Holdings ranked second and third, respectively. Walmart was ranked first among US mass merchant retailers/club retailers with an optical department in 2024, with sales just over $2 billion, according to Vision Monday. Costco finished the year in second place with $1.7 billion in sales. Target/Super Target was third with $535 million, Sams Club was fourth with $206 million, and BJ's Wholesale was fifth with $99 million. Vision Monday’s Top 50 US retailers saw organic growth in 2024 via new store and office openings. The collective sales of Vision Monday’s Top 50 US retailers increased 4% year over year in 2024 to an estimated $21 billion across 16,471 locations.
- Independent practices and smaller retailers may feel the effects of tariffs most acutely, according to the Vision Council. Reduced supplier flexibility and potential shipping delays could disrupt both stock management and pricing stability. The Vision Council urged optical goods retailers to review their supplier contracts, discuss contingency sourcing with distributors, and plan ahead for possible pricing adjustments in patient communications.
- Optical goods retailing industry employment and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first 11 months of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Optical goods retail sales are forecast to grow at a 6.94% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, faster than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.
Industry Revenue
Optical Goods Retailers
Industry Structure
Industry size & Structure
The average optical goods retailer employs about 19 workers and generates about $4 million annually.
- The optical goods retailing industry consists of about 4,000 firms that employ about 75,000 workers and generate $16 billion annually.
- The industry is highly concentrated; the top 50 companies account for over 80% of industry revenue.
- Large firms include EssilorLuxottica Retail (Pearle Vision, LensCrafters) and National Vision Holdings (America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Eyeglass World).
- Approximately 80% of Americans use some form of vision correction, according to The Vision Council.
Industry Forecast
Industry Forecast
Optical Goods Retailers Industry Growth
Vertical IQ Industry Report
For anyone actively digging deeper into a specific industry.
50+ pages of timely industry insights
18+ chapters
PDF delivered to your inbox
