What a New Survey Reveals About How You Source & Buy Frames for Your Optical

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Eyecare providers frame purchasing trends report.

Jan. 22, 2025

The Vision Council released a new research report that provides a detailed look at how eyecare providers source and select eyeglasses frames for their practices.

Focused inSights 2024: Frame Buyers dives deep into the motivations and choices of eyecare providers who are responsible for frame inventory purchases.

Findings from this report detail who makes frame purchases, how often purchases are made and where products are sourced. The report also sheds light on choices that providers make about the styles and materials of frames that they purchase most often.

Key Findings

Inventory Updates and Frame Board Capacity:

• 78 percent of providers display between 200 and 1,200 frames on their boards.
• 70 percent of providers update their inventory quarterly.
• 73 percent introduce new styles every three to six months.
• Frame boards typically comprise 80 percent ophthalmic frames and 20 percent sunglasses.

Inventory Purchasing Channels:

• Most frames are sourced through in-person sales representatives.
• Providers prioritize cost-effective options across all price segments.

Preferred Frame Styles:

• Square and rectangular frames dominate inventories, comprising an average of 53 percent of available styles.
• Providers report these styles are the most popular among their patients.

Brand Preferences:

• 40 percent of providers prefer boutique brands.
• Despite this preference, large corporate and licensed designer brands make up over half of inventories

This survey was conducted by Eyecare Business magazine and The Vision Council in July and August 2024 among a sample of 282 eyecare providers who are responsible for frame inventory purchases. The interviews were conducted online through Qualtrics. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 5.8 percent percentage points.

The full report is available for download in The Vision Council’s Research Download Center. It is complimentary for members of The Vision Council, with a paid option for non-members.