ACLM Statistics for 2023

The size of the United Kingdom (UK) contact lens market in 2023 was £360 million as reported by the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM).

This represents an increase of 5.6% from 2022. The UK market is the largest of all countries in the survey, accounting for around 19% of wearers.

Market value of daily disposables is now 78.8%. Silicone hydrogel lenses now account for 92.5% by value of the weekly/bi-weekly & monthly market.

In total there are more than 3.9 million contact lens wearers in the UK which represents at least 8.9% of the adult population.

The contact lens care market declined 1.4% to £17.4 million.

The data is summarised by courtesy of Euromcontact, which surveys 32 countries around Europe and further afield. Not all manufacturers contribute to the statistics, so RGP lenses, some care products and high street own brand products are not reported.

Technological developments continue to come on-stream, making the latest designs of contact lenses more suitable than ever for presbyopes and for myopia management, as well as for younger and older wearers.

Managed properly, long-term contact lens wearers are generally more loyal to their practitioner for aftercare.