I’ve been looking at what market structure underwrites opportunities for AI founders and seeing if (based on trends) there’s any way to predict which industries are next for AI disruption.

I think the optician industry in the US and UK is at a turning point. With a fragmented market structure, high service delivery costs, and evolving consumer demands, the sector seems ready for AI-driven transformation.

Six reasons AI has its’ sights on opticians next:

1. Market structure: the optician industry is highly fragmented, with a mix of large corporate chains like Specsavers, Vision Express, and Luxottica, alongside thousands of independent opticians. In the UK alone, there are over 5,400 optician businesses. This fragmentation creates inefficiencies in service quality, standardization, and operational practices. AI offers the potential to unify these disparate players through centralized data platforms. By aggregating and analyzing customer data, AI can enable independents to compete effectively with larger chains. Additionally, AI-powered personalized marketing tools can help smaller providers target customers with tailored solutions.

2. High costs of service delivery: traditional optician services, including eye examinations and lens customization, are labor-intensive and costly. The CDC estimates approx. 93 million U.S. adults are at high risk for serious vision loss, yet only half had visited an eye doctor in the past year due to the costs of service delivery. Significant gaps in Medicaid vision care coverage leave millions of low-income adults without access to essential eye services. Inconsistent diagnostic standards and customer service variability only exacerbate these challenges. AI-powered diagnostic tools are already making headway in healthcare, and optometry is no exception. Automated vision testing systems and advanced diagnostic tools, such as those used to detect diabetic retinopathy, reduce reliance on human labor while improving diagnostic accuracy. These technologies can streamline workflows, cutting down service costs and allowing opticians to focus on delivering quality patient care.

3. Convenience: the rise of online eyewear retailers such as Warby Parker and Glasses Direct has set new standards for convenience in the optician industry. Consumers now expect features like virtual try-ons and home delivery as standard. AI-powered augmented reality (AR) tools are already transforming the eyewear shopping experience. Virtual try-on technologies like DeepAR allow customers to see how different frames will look without visiting a store, increasing engagement and conversion rates.

4. Supply chains suck: independent opticians often struggle with managing their inventory efficiently. Overstocking or running out of essential items like frames and lenses can impact profitability and customer satisfaction. AI can address these issues through predictive analytics, which forecast demand trends and optimize stock levels.

5. Regulatory challenges: opticians operate in a heavily regulated environment that emphasizes diagnostic accuracy and secure patient data management. Meeting these regulatory requirements is time-consuming and labor/resource-intensive. AI solutions can enhance diagnostic precision, enabling early detection of conditions like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. For instance, AI systems analyzing retinal images can identify disease markers with remarkable accuracy and automated record-keeping systems also streamline administrative tasks while ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

6. We’re getting older: with aging populations in the US and UK, the demand for early detection and treatment of eye diseases is on the rise. Opticians are increasingly integrated into broader healthcare systems, playing a key role in preventative care. AI excels in preventative diagnostics. By analyzing retinal scans, AI can identify early signs of age-related macular degeneration and other conditions.

The fragmented optician industry faces high costs, inefficiencies, and growing demand. These challenges predict AI innovations in the sector.