Global Ophthalmic Knives Market Size

Ophthalmic Knives Market Analysis

The ophthalmic knives market is projected to grow with a healthy CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period, 2022-2027.

The COVID-19 outbreak, largely due to the lockdown imposed by major countries, is expected to impact the ophthalmic drug market. Only emergency procedures are performed at eye clinics or hospitals, and only minor procedures are performed. Because most ophthalmic drugs are prescription drugs that cannot be purchased without a doctor's visit, the market is likely to suffer due to the pandemic. The halted trade with other nations and imposed travel restrictions resulted in a drop in eye diagnoses in the first half of 2020. According to a study published in the British Journal of Surgery in May 2020, around 28.4 million elective surgeries were canceled or postponed worldwide, based on 12 weeks of peak disruption to hospital services due to COVID-19. Thus, the decline in ophthalmic surgeries during COVID-19 significantly impacted the ophthalmic knives market.

The major factor attributing to the growth of the market is the growing incidence of ophthalmic diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, keratosis, and others. According to the World Health Organization, in 2021, it was estimated that around 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment or blindness, of whom at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that can be prevented. The 1 billion people include those with limited or severe visual impairment due to unresolved refractive error (123.7 million), cataract (65.2 million), glaucoma (6.9 million), corneal opacities (4.2 million ), diabetic retinopathy (3 million), trachoma (2 million), and imminent visual impairment caused by unspecified presbyopia (826 million). Thus, the increasing prevalence of ophthalmic diseases and a rise in the demand for eye surgeries are anticipated to drive the demand for ophthalmic knives during the forecast period.

In response to the rising rate of blindness worldwide, healthcare professionals and ophthalmologists are participating in important activities to raise consumer awareness. Major investments in awareness programs are more likely to educate people about the seriousness of ophthalmic disorders, causing them to pay more attention to timely diagnosis and treatment. For instance, In January 2021, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, during Glaucoma Awareness Month, stated that glaucoma affects more than 800,000 Canadians annually. During the awareness month, data showed that the rising aging population in Canada led to an increase in the burden of the disease, and it was stated that glaucoma has the potential to become a big concern in Canada in the coming years; this is expected to boost the market growth.

Therefore, the growth of the medical devices industry and the implementation of approving diagnostic devices are a few other major factors driving the market. However, the high cost of ophthalmic knives is the major restraint to the market's growth.