Given its versatility, it’s no wonder that eyewear is a multibillion-dollar industry. In fact, the eyewear market is now worth more than $183 billion, and it’s expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.3% throughout the rest of the decade. 

Multiple factors drive this continued growth. Rising disposable income among consumers, increasing public knowledge of eye health, the availability of products both online and in-store, and the introduction of more durable materials and stylish frames make different kinds of eyewear more appealing to wear for both form and function. 

In today’s digital age, however, it’s clear that tech-backed innovations play an especially significant role in fueling the growth of the eyewear industry. Ranging from product design to distribution, they make eyewear even more enticing to purchase and use. Here are a few that show just how effectively tech will continue fueling demand in the industry. 

Remote prescription renewals 

Thanks to growing eye health awareness, more consumers are proactively monitoring eyesight changes, having them assessed via eye exams, and using the resulting prescriptions to buy corrective glasses. However, high costs can dampen the demand for these products and services, with eye exams and prescription eyewear costing an average of $100 and $234, respectively. Though many may invest in their initial pair of glasses, high costs may prevent them from accessing follow-up appointments and prescription renewals. Here, major industry players help by integrating telehealth technology into their offerings. 

That includes Warby Parker, which is known for selling eyewear at affordable prices. Consumers can now use its Vision Test smartphone app to update their eyeglasses prescriptions in as little as five minutes. An improved iteration of Prescription Check, an ocular telehealth service the retailer launched in 2017, it only charges users $15 if a doctor remotely confirms their prescription has changed. Otherwise, it’s free to use. Combined with Warby Parker's cheap yet quality catalog of eyewear, this app helps lower the overall costs of procuring corrective eyewear, ultimately fueling demand by improving accessibility. 

Streamlined remote purchases

Today, digital retailers offer a more convenient shopping experience that allows customers to parse through wider eyewear selections and have them delivered straight to their homes. That can improve access and fuel demand even further, especially among those living in rural areas or with mobility limitations. However, one aspect in which online retailers have had difficulty in matching brick-and-mortar stores is facilitating eyewear fitting. Glasses and sunglasses are considered highly personal accessories, and gauging whether their size or style will suit them can be hard for consumers to do remotely. 

In this case, retailers are adapting by leveraging augmented reality. Eyebuydirect, which exclusively sells eyeglasses online, exemplifies that with its website features. On the website, consumers can browse over 2,000 styles—including affordable picks from the retailer and high-end frames from the likes of Ray-Ban and Oakley—and add their prescriptions to the lenses. To streamline selection, Eyebuydirect offers an AR-powered virtual try-on tool that realistically imposes a digital twin on a consumer’s face depending on unique facial measurements and lighting conditions in the consumer's environment. This innovation bridges the gap between online and physical stores, helping drive the demand for this new distribution channel. 

Adaptive lens technology 

Eye strain continues to become increasingly commonplace due to the rising use of digital devices across the globe. Prolonged periods spent looking at screens up close essentially fatigue and dehydrate the eyes, leading to symptoms like blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, headaches, irritation, and even light sensitivity. To tap into that growing group of consumers vulnerable to or already experiencing the likes of digital eye strain, today’s eyewear companies have begun developing adaptive lenses designed to alleviate its symptoms. 

One of the standout releases in this regard is the ViXion01 from the Japanese startup ViXiON. Lauded as the world’s first-ever pair of autofocus glasses, it’s capable of automatically measuring object distance and adjusting the wearer’s vision to compensate. To do so, they use time-adaptive variable lenses that change shape and thickness depending on what’s being looked at. The ViXion01 is touted as being beneficial not just for eye strain relief, but also for people who need reading glasses or multiple prescriptions. This kind of innovation offers a cross-demographic appeal that can effectively spur the demand for eyewear. 

AI assistant features 

AI adoption and demand continue to grow among consumers. Generative AI programs like ChatGPT are particularly popular for academic, work-related, and creative endeavors, while the AI assistants offered on most modern smartphones are often sought after by those looking for voice search, action-taking (such as playing music), and photo or video editing capabilities. These features often attract a specific kind of consumer, namely early adopters of new technologies. To further innovate traditional eyewear products, appeal to niche customer segments like this, and ultimately pave the way for further improvements, many of the industry’s major players have begun integrating AI into their own offerings. 

That’s resulted in the release of smart glasses suitable for everyday wear. One prolific developer in this area is Innovative Eyewear, which designs and supplies intelligent frames to brands like Lucyd and Reebok. The company particularly stands out for being one of the first brands to perfect the design of ChatGPT-enabled smart eyeglasses, something that helped increase its revenue by over 165% in early 2024. These financial results perfectly illustrate how AI assistant integration in eyewear is already generating—and can further fuel—demand in the industry over time. 

Biometric sensor integration

Today, one can get wristbands, watches, and even rings embedded with biometric sensors, which can measure everything from blood pressure and oxygen levels to heart rates and sleep patterns. These can be crucial for monitoring health in wearers of any age, but can be especially beneficial for older adults. With non-ocular conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes closely linked to eye health, it’s no wonder that developers in the industry are starting to integrate these sensors into eyewear frames and condense the tracking of multiple factors into a single product. 

In particular, Emteq Lab’s new Sense glasses are a step in the right direction. Their contactless OCO optical sensors collect data that is then analyzed by AI to uncover health insights. One thing they’ve been proven to detect and scrutinize is eating behavior for better nutritional health, as they work by monitoring the facial muscles in key areas of the face. However, Sense is primarily known for being able to use that same facial muscle information to recognize emotions and deliver insights that can help a wearer improve their well-being. That makes the OCO sensor yet another technology that can boost demand in the industry, whether it’s among early tech adopters, consumers looking for a multipurpose wearable, or those who simply want to try unique kinds of eyewear.