With around 45,100 optometrists in the US and expected employment growth of 10% by 2035, optometry is a rapidly growing field.1 This growth comes with challenges such as rising costs, fluctuating patient volumes, and new business models.
This report includes insights from 1,241 optometrists in the US and Canada, covering views on the current contact lens landscape, including prescribing trends, capture rates, and educational gaps for growth opportunities.
The 2026 Optometrist Report Covers:
- Career satisfaction
- Salaries and student loan debt
- Practice growth goals
- Product preferences (manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and EHRs) and purchasing decisions
- And more!
Download the 2026 Optometrist Report now or continue reading for a preview of the findings!
2026 Optometrist Report
Download the report to learn how your peers are advancing their careers and adapting to the ever-evolving eyecare industry as well as practice management pearls.
Key takeaways from the 2026 Optometrist Report
When it comes to their goals for the next 3 years, most optometrists prioritize business growth. However, many practices are adopting a more conservative approach.
The percentage of practices whose main goal is simply to "remain on their feet" increased from approximately 14% in 2025 to 21% in 2026. Conversely, the share of practices aiming to add an associate optometrist decreased from about 18% to 11%. These changes may reflect economic pressures and rising practice management costs.
Marketing budgets reflect this trend as well: the proportion of practices spending less than $50 per month on marketing rose from about 26% in 2025 to 35% in 2026, while the percentage of practices unsure of their monthly marketing spend increased from approximately 6% to 8%.
Doctors' views on patient volume are changing. While they are comfortable with three comprehensive exams per hour, their ideal number has decreased from three in 2025 to two in 2026. Additionally, their threshold for "too many" patients has dropped from five to four per hour.
Are optometrist happy with their career choice? Most optometrists (71%) are happy with their career choice, and a similar sentiment was shared in 2025.
One respondent said no because “Education is too expensive now, vision plans dominate most low reimbursements and aren't increasing for inflation, so [they] incentivize providers to use old/cheap equipment and do quickie/low quality eye exams while still incurring significant potential professional liability.”
Another said yes, but not without mentioning its shortcomings: “It is a rewarding field with direct patient care and the ability to impact patients’ quality of life every day. People are mostly happy to see you, and most of the time you can improve things for them in a meaningful way in a single visit. The pay could be better, and the debt/income ratio is way too high, but all in all it is a fulfilling job with more positives than negatives.”
Conclusion
We hope the 2026 Optometrist Report serves as a practical benchmark for your practice and career. Use it to see how your salary compares with your peers', strengthen your position in pay negotiations, and evaluate the EHRs and products other ODs rely on.
As optometry continues to evolve, staying current is key to making the most of expanding scope, growing your medical eye care services, and building a satisfying career.
Ready to dive deeper? Download the full 2026 Optometrist Report now!
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