PUBLISHER: Mordor Intelligence | PRODUCT CODE: 1687733
PUBLISHER: Mordor Intelligence | PRODUCT CODE: 1687733
The Ophthalmic Lasers Market size is estimated at USD 1.56 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 1.96 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
The healthcare system witnessed enormous challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All outpatient treatments were postponed or restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the risk of viral transmission, as most chronic therapies were regarded as non-urgent. An article published in the Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research in December 2021 indicated that COVID-19 had caused ocular problems both directly and indirectly, and the further causes of concern are side effects of COVID-19 treatment and indirect consequences of lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders. The article also stated that the huge morbidity and death toll imposed by the pandemic has led to the adoption of life-saving treatment protocols with the downside of complications. Such hindrances are affecting the growth of the ophthalmic lasers market. However, the market is opening up, and with product launches and other initiatives, it is expected to grow during the forecast period.
According to the WHO 2021, around the world, at least 2.2 billion people have near or distant vision impairment. In at least around 1 billion or almost half of these cases, vision impairment could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. As per the same source, vision impairment poses a global financial burden associated with vision impairment from uncorrected myopia (USD 244 billion) and presbyopia (USD 25.4 billion). The large prevalence of ophthalmic disorders around the world is adding to the growth of the ophthalmic lasers market.
Similarly, in January 2022, a press release by the World Economic Forum stated that rates of short-sightedness (myopia) are rising dramatically. By 2050, it's even predicted that half of the world's population would be short-sighted. These rates alone have risen in the past 50 years in Europe. According to the study, women were 24% more likely than men to develop myopia as children, but they were 12% less likely to do so as adults. It's unclear why this is the case, but it could be because men and women endure different hormonal shifts or different lifestyles. Thus, the increasing prevalence of myopia is expected to increase market growth during the forecast period as the patient often requires surgical treatments which involve ophthalmic lasers.
Initiatives by key market players are further expected to increase market growth during the forecast period. In April 2022, Nova Eye Medical launched its next-generation canaloplasty device, iTrack Advance, in select markets in Europe and Asia-Pacific. The iTrack Advance features include a proprietary illuminated fiber optic tip of the original iTrack device to allow the surgeon to continuously monitor the location of the device in Schlemm's canal. Thus, such initiatives are expected to increase market growth.
However, the high cost associated with laser therapies and the low availability of skilled practitioners are expected to restrict the growth of the studied market over the forecast period.
The refractive error corrections segment holds the major share in the ophthalmic lasers market. An article published in the journal of Annals of Medicine and Surgery in December 2021 indicated that refractive errors are the most common vision problem and prove to be a significant health issue. The article aimed to determine the awareness of refractive surgery. As per the article, Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) was the most commonly performed procedure among surgical options. The increasing prevalence of ophthalmic lasers in refractive error corrections is expected to aid the growth of the segment in the ophthalmic lasers market during the forecast period.
According to the October 2021 press release by the World Health Organization, approximately 88.4 million people suffer blindness due to unaddressed refractive errors. Similarly, according to the research study published in May 2021, in the National Library of Medicine, from the total participants, 23.0% presented uncorrected VA (UCVA) was worse than 20/40 in worse eye, 6.0% presented mild presenting visual acuity impairment (PVAI), 7.0% presented moderate PVAI, 0.2% presented severe PVAI in the better eye, and 46.9% presented abnormal UCVA. Hence, owing to the high prevalence of refractive errors, the segment is expected to grow over the forecast period.
An article by Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today in September 2021 discussed the future of refractive correction. The article showed that the development of procedures such as SMILE and technologies such as Contoura Vision and iDesign Refractive Studio increased the number of treatment options and the level of customization that surgeons can offer to patients. The rise in the development of refractive corrective surgeries in recent years is adding to the growth of the ophthalmic lasers market over the forecast period.
The rise in the adoption of highly advanced techniques and systems in the manufacturing of ophthalmic lasers and the technological advancements made in ophthalmic lasers are expected to boost the growth of the market in the North American region. High awareness of the availability of innovative vision corrective surgeries in the medical field among the population contributes to the high market growth in the region.