The contact lens market - France (2025)

1.2 European market overview

According to the graph below, contact lens penetration is very high in Sweden. France ranks penultimate on the list, with just under *% of contact lens wearers.

Penetration rate of contact lens wearers by European country Europe, ****, in Source: ****

In addition, France's contact lens wearer rate is down by almost *%, as is the majority of European countries, with theexception of a few European countriessuch as Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg.

penetration rate of contact lens wearers between **** and **** Europe, ****-****, in Source: ****

In the various European countries, the majority of contact lens wearers wear daily disposable lenses.

Market share of different port types in ** European countries Europe, ****, in Source: ****

However, the proportion of myopes worldwide is changing. By ****, almost **% of the world's population will be myopic.

trends in the proportion of myopes worldwide World, ****-****, in Source: ****

1.3 The booming domestic market

Let's take a look at the national contact lens market in France.

France' s national optical market is booming, peaking at nearly *.* billion euros in ****.

Optical sales in France France, ****-****, € billion Source: ****

Lenses account for nearly *.*% of optical sales in France.

Share of different product categories in French store sales France, ****, in Source: ****

In addition, consumption of medical optics (***) is on the rise, both in terms of total consumption and consumption of contact lenses alone.

Consumption of medical optics in millions of euros France, ****, in millions of euros Source: ****

Moreover, according to DREES, contact lenses account for almost **% of medical optics consumption in France.

Breakdown of medical optics consumption in France France, ****, in Source: ****

1.4 Foreign trade

France's trade balance for contact lenses is heavily in deficit, with imports in **** amounting to $***.* million, compared with exports of just $**.* million. Imports, on the other hand, grew by +**.*% between **** and ****, a sign of a very strong recovery in world trade following the restrictions imposed by the health crisis. In ****, France's coverage rate (***) on the contact lens market was only *.*%[***]. In ****, French imports fell by *.*%, while exports rose by **%, taking the coverage rate to **.*%.

Foreign trade France, ****, in millions of dollars Source: ****

France's main contact lens supplier countries are European: Thailand, Ireland, and China.

Main supplier countries France, ****, in millions of dollars Source: ****

Customer countries are much more diversified, but remain predominantly European: Poland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, but also the United States.

Main customer countries France, ****, in millions of dollars Source: ****

2.1 Booming demand

The French remain very concerned about their sight-related problems, as shown by the fact that **% of them consider themselves to be concerned, or even very concerned, in the graph below.

Rate of concern about sight-related problems France, ****, in Source: ****

What's more, the French tend to feel that their eyesight is under greater strain since confinement, making them even more likely to use contact lenses, with increasingly damaged eyesight.

The feeling of putting more strain on eyesight since confinement France, ****, in Source: ****

In addition, one segment of the population that could potentially be more likely to use contact lenses is children, who find wearing glasses rather unpleasant, as shown in the graph below.

Children's comfort with glasses France, ****, in Source: ****

However, there is a discomfort with contact lenses that may explain the decline in the number of consumers. In ****, nearly **% of contact lens wearers found lenses uncomfortable.

Wearing contact lenses is uncomfortable France, ****-****, in Source: ****

So, one of the main reasons for not wearing contacts or glasses is, because they'll get in the way, or that the French don't need them.

Reasons for not wearing glasses / contacts France, ****, in Source: ****

In addition, this disincentive to contact lens purchases may also be ...

2.2 Contact lens consumer personas

Let's take a look at the French contact lens wearer.

First, let's look at the gender breakdown of contact lens wearers.

Gender distribution of contact lens wearers France, ****, in Source: ****

Let's also take a look at the ages of contact lens wearers. Contact lens wearers tend to be young.

Age distribution of contact lens wearers France, ****, in Source: ****

There is also a social distribution and inequality inaccess to contact lenses.

Social distribution of contact lens wearers France, ****, in Source: ****

2.3 French preferences

Now let's take a look at the contact lens habits of the French.

Let's look at the frequency with which contact lenses are worn. Almost *% of French people wear them occasionally , and almost *% permanently.

Do you wear contact lenses to correct your eyesight? France, ****, in Source: ****

Most French people (***) have been wearing contact lenses for less than ten years.

How long have you been wearing contact lenses? France, ****, in Source: ****

Indeed, this is reflected in prescriptions from opticians and ophthalmologists. Only *% of French people are prescribed contact lenses during their medical visits.

During your last visit, what were you prescribed? France, ****, in Source: ****

Reasons for choosing contact lenses

While discomfort is the main reason for abandoning contact lenses(***), contact lens wearers point to numerous advantages over glasses.

Reasons for wearing contact lenses France, ****, in Source: ****

France's favorite opticians

In ****, France's favorite optical brand is Optic ****. This top ranking is primarily due to the richness of the Optic **** network. With over *,*** stores in France, **% of the French population is less than ** minutes from anOptic **** store. The **** optician rankings are as follows:

Rank Name of French who like the brand Number of stores in France * Optic **** **,*% +**** * Krys **,*% *** * Afflelou **,*% *** * Optical Center **,*% *** * Générale ...

3.1 Value chain

The care pathway and the different healthcare professionals involved

Only an ophthalmologist can issue a prescription for contact lenses, but not all ophthalmologists practice contactology. During the appointment, the specialist examines the eyes through various tests, then draws up the prescription according to the person's specific needs. The first prescription is valid for one year, and once renewed, lenses can be purchased for a further * years. Patients can then purchase their lenses through various distribution channels, mainly opticians or the Internet.

The various healthcare professionals involved in the treatment process are :

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who can issue prescriptions for glasses or contact lenses. Theoptician is usually the person who delivers the glasses or contact lenses, and can provide advice on how to use them. Orthoptists can carry out re-education or visual assessments, and often work in collaboration with an ophthalmologist.

3.2 Contact lens manufacturing

The contact lens manufacturing sector is highly concentrated, dominated by a handful of manufacturers, including Bausch & Lomb, Ciba Vision, Cooper Vision, Johnson & Johsnon, Menicon... These laboratories are major international groups.

Among the French laboratories manufacturing contact lenses is LCS, specialized in premium made-to-measure lenses. The company holds a patent for a hybrid contact lens (***), which is both flexible around the periphery and rigid in the center. We should also mention Precilens, the first laboratory to offer progressive lenses; or *M contact - Europtic, the result of the merger of the two laboratories *M contact and Europtic.

To approach the segment of contact lens manufacturers in France, we can look atNAF code **.**B "Manufacture of spectacles". It should be noted, however, that this category includes manufacturers of spectacles, sunglasses and contact lenses, so the scope is not strictly identical to that of the study, although many lens manufacturers are also manufacturers of other optical equipment. [***]

In ****, there were *** establishments registered under this NAF code in France, compared with *** in ****, a contraction of **.*%. Nevertheless, the sector's concentration has remained fairly stable over the past few years.

Number of establishments under code **.**B France, ****-**** Source: ****

Staff numbers, meanwhile, fell by an even greater ...

3.3 Distribution and profitability

Contact lens distribution

Here we consider the data provided by NAF code **.**A "Optical retailing", which includes the activities of opticians. Note, however, that this code does not include all types of lens distributors.

Number of establishments under code **.**A France, ****-**** Source: ****

In contrast to the lens and eyewear manufacturing activity, the number of establishments and employees increased between **** and ****, reaching**,*** optical retailersemployingmore than **,*** people in France[***]. Employees under code **.**A France, ****-**** Source: ****

An unprofitable business

Nevertheless, the contact lens trade remains an unprofitable business for opticians. In ****, opticians generated total sales of *.** billion euros, up **.*% on ****. But most of their profits come from the sale of corrective lenses and frames, followed by the sale of sunglasses, with the sale of contact lenses remaining the least profitable of all activities[***].

Margin rates by segment France, **** - ****, in Source: ****

Online contact lens sales accelerated sharply with the formalization of online lens sales in **** (***). In ****, if only *% of French people believe they favor online purchasing. However, almost **% of wearers still buy their lenses from an optician.

Distribution channels for contact lenses France, ****, in Source: ****

The contact lens "market" has therefore not shifted to the Internet, and opticians, as healthcare professionals, have ...

4.1 The different types of contact lenses

By type and lifespan

Depending on how they're made, lenses can be soft or rigid, and they don't all require the same frequency of renewal. The choice among all these parameters is made by the ophthalmologist when prescribing lenses.

Soft lenses

Soft lenses can be daily, bi-monthly or monthly. The most common are those renewed once or twice a month, as they are adapted to the greatest number of people, and can correct almost all sight problems. Daily lenses, unlike monthly or twice-monthly lenses, are for single use only.

There are two types of soft contact lenses, depending on their material:

Hydrophilic Silicone-hydrogel: these lenses let * times more oxygen through to the cornea than hydrophilic lenses, making them more comfortable to wear. Rigid lenses

These lenses can last up to a year in total, but are much more delicate to care for. They are particularly suited to astigmatism. These lenses are smaller than the diameter of the cornea, unlike soft lenses, which are larger than the cornea.

By function

Contact lenses can be used for different purposes: corrective, cosmetic or therapeutic. The most widespread, however, are corrective lenses.

Corrective lenses are those used to treat various vision disorders: hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism ...

4.2 An upward trend in lentil prices

Let's take a look at contact lens pricing. It's clear that the French have many financial difficulties in paying for optical equipment such as contact lenses. What's more, there are also social inequalities in terms of financial access to optical equipment, depending in particular on where the French live. In rural areas, for example, there are greater inequalities in access to the cost of optical equipment.

Financial difficulties in paying for optical equipment France, ****, in Source: ****

If we consider the data provided by INSEE for the "medical optics" category, we observe that the consumer price index for medical optics items has been on the rise since ****, gaining +*.*% over ****-****[***].

Consumer price index for medical optics France, ****-****, base *** in **** Source: ****

Annual budget of a contact lens wearer vs. a spectacle wearer

Contact lens wearers and spectacle wearers do not follow the same economic model: indeed, for the majority of lenses (***). Nevertheless, it is estimated that the average annual budget spent by a contact lens wearer is higher than that of a spectacle wearer: according to a study published in the Observatoire de l'Optique, it is estimated that the annual sales generated by a contact lens wearer can reach * to *.* times those ...

4.3 Supply trends

Lenses and the environment

The contact lens market is particularly polluting, especially as many consumers use daily lenses. According to an American study published in the NY Times, around **% of contact lens users flush their lenses down the toilet or sink. This waste then inevitably finds its way into the oceans, where it contributes significantly to pollution via micro-plastics. In fact, around ** tonnes of this waste are recorded in the Atlantic Ocean every year[***]. Also, in June ****, MB Production unveiled a new eco-friendly range of materials for eyewear manufacturing: this collection incorporates materials derived from the recycling of used eyeglass frames and organic fibers.

Lenses and health problems

According to a survey by ** millions de consommateurs, contact lenses contain chemical substances and microplastics that are potentially hazardous to health. [***]

The zoom lens

Developed by researchers in San Diego (***), these are lenses that zoom in by blinking twice. The technology is based on the electrical energy naturally produced by eyeball movements, such as blinking and looking around. Their commercialization, however, is not foreseen in the near future.

Connected lenses

French researchers at the Institut Mines-Télécom have developed the very first connected lens, powered by a flexible micro-battery integrated into the ...

5.1 Regulations governing the sale of contact lenses

Prior to ****, internet sales of healthcare products (***) were prohibited in France. The European Commission then obliged France to open up the market to online opticians, but the market remained without a legislative framework for several years following this decision. The online sale of optical products was then gradually regulated by a succession of laws:

Hamon law of ****

Law no. ****-*** of March **, **** on consumer affairs, also known as the Hamon Law, aims to rebalance relations between consumers and businesses. The main provisions relating to the optical field are as follows:

It is no longer necessary to be a qualified optician to open and manage a sales outlet for corrective lenses and glasses, but the presence of a qualified optician is mandatory On the other hand, only a qualified optician is authorized to dispense corrective lenses Opticians and pharmacists no longer have a monopoly on the sale of lens care products: the possibility of selling these products is also open to online sites and supermarkets in particular

Decree n°****-**** of ****

This decree n°****-**** establishes a list of compulsory information to be included on sites selling optical products online, including :

Link to current optical regulations Link to the Agence nationale de ...

5.2 Social Security reimbursement

Only a very small proportion of contact lenses are reimbursed by the French Assurance Maladie, and mainly those prescribed for reasons other than the correction of a visual problem. The lenses covered are those prescribed for the following reasons:

Irregular astigmatism Accommodative squint Myopia greater than or equal to * dioptres Aphakia Anisometropia up to * diopters that cannot be corrected with glasses Keratoconus

In this case, the Assurance Maladie covers **% of the annual fixed price, set at €**.** for all types of lenses. In other cases, contact lens users may be reimbursed for part of the cost via their complementary health insurance (***), depending on the terms of their contract. [***]

The ***% Health reform

The framework for reimbursements made by the Assurance Malade is changing significantly in ****. Indeed, the ***% Santé reform has been in force since January *, ****, with the aim of combating renunciation, which was particularly high in optical, dental and audioprosthesis, by proposing an offer with zero out-of-pocket expenses. In optics, the rate of waivers for financial reasons has been as high as **% in recent years.

In the case of optics in particular, all opticians will be obliged to offer a "***% Health basket", i.e. a package fully covered by Social Security and complementary ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Bausch & Lomb
• Johnson & Johnson Vision Care
• Cooper Vision
• Laboratoires Alcon - CIBA VISION
• Atol Les Opticiens
• Afflelou
• Krys Group
• Malentille.com
• Direct Optic (Acuitis Groupe)
• Sensee
• Menicon