The Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare is suspending the publication of its optical industry review for the time being. The decision is based on differences in companies’ revenue reporting practices, which weaken the comparability of industry statistics.
The Association has previously published the industry review on a quarterly basis, providing operators and stakeholders in the optical sector with a timely snapshot of a rapidly evolving market. However, the current lack of uniform reporting practices makes it difficult to form a coherent and comparable overall picture.
At present, companies can independently decide whether their revenue includes only product sales from optical retail (TOL 47741) or also healthcare services. This leads to significant variation in reported figures. Traditionally, the sector’s revenue has been divided into three categories: optical retail, wholesale, and ophthalmic services.
“Data collection is currently challenged by changes in companies’ reporting practices, and companies report somewhat different components within their revenue. Harmonising reporting practices requires industry-wide cooperation,” says Panu Tast, CEO of the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare.
The data used in the industry review is based on publications by Statistics Finland, Statista, Soter, Kela– the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), as well as from the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare membership registry.
A unified practice is built through cooperation
The goal of the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare is to clarify reporting practices in collaboration with industry parties and to resume publication of the industry review, possibly in 2027.
The industry review has been an important tool for companies in monitoring market developments and evaluating the performance of their business operations.
“Success in the optical industry requires the ability to anticipate change and understand customer needs. The ongoing transformation of the sector is particularly linked to population ageing and the rapid development of health technology,” says Mr. Tast.
To support strategic foresight, the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare also publishes an optical industry trend map, offering a structured overview of key trends and development directions in the sector.
For additional information, please contact:
Panu Tast, CEO of the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare
Tel. +358 40 542 2227, panu.tast@naery.fi
