Use our industry guide to find key background information, market research, import and export guidelines, statistics, legislation, trade bodies and trade publications.
The Business & Industry Guides series is produced by the Library & Information Service for ICAEW members and ACA students.
We can compile tailored key players reports, mailing lists, market reports, benchmarking reports and industry news. Our enquiry team can also research other industry-specific information, such as taxation, for you. Call us on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or email library@icaew.com.
Market research
Market research reports focusing on this business sector are available from a number of market research specialists. In most cases these reports are available to fee-paying subscribers or on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Some free information is available from the following market research specialists, ranging from industry news to executive summaries of the reports.
Euromonitor
A full listing of reference products and research reports for the eye care industry from Euromonitor, with a range of global, country and company level reports. Each report provides a contents
listing and a useful executive summary reporting on the key trends in each country report.
IBISWorld
Business and industry research specialists offering reports on a wide range of sectors, including medical and dental instrument manufacturing. Report snapshots, table of contents and a sample
report are available. The company also produces global industry research reports.
Mintel
Report from Mintel covering the UK optical goods retailing market. The website includes a summary and the option to view a contents listing.
Industry news
Statistics on the UK
NHS Digital
NHS Digital offers a range of statistics which cover general ophthalmic services and consultation tables, including NHS sight tests, vouchers, repairs and replacements, and domiciliary visits.
Global statistics
UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade)
The UN compiles and publishes international import and export statistics in the Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade), giving figures for goods traded by value, quantity and weight for each country.
Statistics are available for:
- Optical, photo, technical, medical, etc apparatus (90)
UN Industrial Commodity Statistics Database
The UN provides statistics on the quantity of goods produced by country in the Industrial Commodity Statistics Database.
Figures are available for:
- Spectacle lenses of glass or other materials (48)
- Contact lenses (48)
- Frames and mountings for spectacles, goggles or the like (48)
Employment
UK
Average employment costs within this sector are available from Table 14 of the Office for National Statistics publication Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). Average employment costs are provided for full-time employees, part-time employees and all employees.
The data includes average employment costs for:
- ophthalmic opticians; and
- dispensing opticians.
Other regions
Please see individual country profile pages for links to sources of national statistics.
Legislation and regulation
UK
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a section on health and social care services, which includes latest regulations affecting this industry.
Import and export
UK
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a section on health and social care services, which includes latest regulations affecting this industry.
UK business guides
The Library can supply business guides on this sector to ICAEW members and students.
UK key players, ratios and trends
UK benchmarking
Trade bodies
The websites of trade bodies in this sector are a useful source of industry overviews, contacts and statistics.
UK
- Association of British Dispensing Opticians
- Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers
- Association of Optometrists (AOP)
- British Association of Behavioural Optometrists (BABO)
- British Contact Lens Association
- British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS)
- The College of Optometrists
- Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO)
- General Optical Council (GOC)
- Optical Supplier Association
- Royal College of Ophthalmologists
- Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers
Europe
- European Council of Optometry and Optics
- European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE)
- European Society of Optometrists
The European Council of Optometry and Optics provides contact details and links to its members.
Americas
Asia
Oceania
Global
The World Council of Optometry provides a list of members, organised by country, which features major professional bodies throughout the world.
Trade journals and publications
Trade journals, B2B magazines and specialist consumer magazines are another useful source of news and statistics.
Can't find what you're looking for?
The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.
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