4.3.4.2Vertical

Private Optometry Practices

Independently owned optometry offices providing eye exams and eyewear.

Market snapshot

These figures describe Optometry & Vision Care (4.3.4), the segment that Private Optometry Practices sits within. They are not figures for Private Optometry Practices on its own.

Market size
~$20B
Growth
~5.3%CAGR (2017–22, nominal)
Companies
~18,708 firms
Firms by employee count

93.7% of firms have fewer than 20 employees: 17,521 micro-businesses, below most mandates.

The investable universe1,187 firms with 20+ employees
20–99
1,07190%
100–499
716%
500+
454%

Optometry blends clinical eye care with the retail attach of eyewear, across ~18,700 mostly small practices (94% under 20 staff). Recurring exam-driven demand and an aging population underpin ~5%/yr growth, and the MSO model has rolled up practices much as DSOs did dental. Optical retail itself sits under Retail, so this captures the clinical side of vision care.

NAICS 621320. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Statistics of U.S. Businesses; U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census.

Business model & economics

Revenue model

Exam fees plus eyewear and contact-lens retail

Key economics

Revenue per firm
$1,073,982
Revenue per employee
$134,961
Employees per firm
8.0
Recurring revenue
Moderate–High

recurring exams and replacements

EBITDA margin
18–28%
Capex intensity
Moderate

Characteristics

  • Balanced cost base: payroll is 33% of revenue, leaving room to scale margin without cutting staff
  • Moderate strategic-buyer pool: 45 firms exceed 500 employees, so a scaled asset has buyers, but not many
  • Blends clinical eye care with optical retail.
  • MSO roll-up consolidating optometry practices.
  • Aging population growing vision-care demand.

NAICS 621320. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Statistics of U.S. Businesses; U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census.

M&A deal context

Deal activityHigh

Who’s acquiring

  • PE-backed vision MSOs
  • Optometry consolidators
  • Vertically integrated optical retailers

What’s driving deals

  • MSO roll-up of optometry practices.
  • Recurring exam-and-eyewear economics.
  • Aging-population vision demand.

Find Private Optometry Practices acquisition targets

Search Acquisera’s index for companies classified under Private Optometry Practices (4.3.4.2) and build a targeted deal pipeline.

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