Saudi Arabia Ophthalmic Devices Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Saudi Arabia Ophthalmic Devices Market Trends and Insights

Government-Funded Vision 2030 Ophthalmology Infrastructure Expansion

Vision 2030 seeks to raise private-sector participation in healthcare to 68% by 2030 and add about 84,000 beds to reach OECD standards^{[1]Vision 2030 Program, “SEHA Virtual Hospital Overview,” vision2030.gov.sa}. Expansion plans by large hospital groups—such as Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Services, which intends to grow capacity from 1,913 to 3,609 beds by 2028—translate directly into higher purchases of surgical microscopes, optical-coherence-tomography (OCT) scanners, and tele-ophthalmology platforms. The SEHA Virtual Hospital now links more than 150 hospitals, enabling remote retinal assessments and extending specialist reach.

High Diabetes Prevalence Driving AI-Based Diabetic-Retinopathy Screening Uptake

Diabetes affects 31.0% of adults in the Kingdom, and diabetic retinopathy (DR) impacts 46% of diabetics in the Western region. An AI-enabled national tele-retinopathy programme launched in 2024 accelerates screening throughput and accuracy. Early results indicate a 30.0% reduction in unnecessary referrals, spurring demand for AI-ready fundus cameras and cloud-integrated image-management systems. Persistent knowledge gaps—29% of patients report never having had an eye exam—are addressed by payer-funded awareness drives that should boost device utilisation.

Compulsory Premarital & School Eye-Health Screening Programmes

Mandatory premarital genetic screening, in place since 2004, still lacks comprehensive ocular testing despite high hereditary-eye-disease prevalence. Consanguinity accounts for 87.2% of paediatric strabismus cases, highlighting scope for portable autorefractors in primary-care clinics. School screening remains ad-hoc; a Qassim study found a 26.6% vision-test failure rate among preschoolers, signalling strong latent demand for handheld diagnostic kits^{[2]Naif Almutairi, “Primary Health-Care Eye Services in Saudi Arabia,” sciencedirect.com}. Parents show high awareness yet limited follow-through on regular eye checks, suggesting growth potential once national guidelines are enacted.

Rise of Premium Elective LASIK & Cataract Surgeries Via Medical-Tourism Hubs

Riyadh and Jeddah position themselves as regional centers for high-end eye surgery. Magrabi Health alone performs more than 200,000 procedures annually across 40 sites, having pioneered LASIK in the region. Competitive bundled pricing draws Gulf patients, supporting steady demand for femtosecond-laser systems, premium intra-ocular lenses, and advanced diagnostics. Alcon strengthened this premium ecosystem by opening the Middle East’s first Alcon Experience Center in Jeddah in March 2025.

Import Dependence Inflating Device Prices

The SFDA mandates ISO 13485 certification and local Authorised Representatives, raising import-transaction costs. Beginning January 2025, all medical devices also require SABER platform conformity certificates, which add compliance fees that sellers pass through to buyers. These expenses elevate landed costs—particularly for premium imaging equipment—by an estimated 15%, dampening uptake in smaller clinics.

Shortage of Certified Ophthalmic Technicians Limiting Diagnostic Throughput

Saudi Arabia hosts 2,608 ophthalmologists (81.06 per million people), surpassing WHO guidelines, yet only 38% are nationals and distribution is uneven: Riyadh has 75.6 per million versus 42.8 per million in Jazan^{[3]Khalid Aldebasi, “Ophthalmologist Distribution in Saudi Regions,” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov}. At the technician level, only 0.47% of primary-care centers provide optometry services, so high-value devices such as OCT scanners often sit under-utilised. Government scholarships and fast-track licensing aim to close the skills gap but will take years to yield a balanced workforce.

Segment Analysis

By Device Type: Diagnostic Equipment Accelerates Innovation

Vision care devices retained a 60.41% share of the Saudi Arabia ophthalmic devices market in 2024, supported by steady demand for spectacles, contact lenses, and dispensing systems. Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices, however, are set to expand at a 7.86% CAGR through 2030, reflecting hospitals’ shift toward early-stage disease identification. Within this cluster, optical-coherence-tomography scanners should command 24.42% of diagnostic revenue in 2024, benefiting from superior retinal-layer visualisation that aids macular-degeneration and diabetic-retinopathy screening. Ultra-wide-field fundus cameras also post strong orders because clinicians want comprehensive peripheral-retina images to detect lesions missed by 45-degree systems.

The diagnostic up-cycle is reinforced by national tele-health mandates that integrate cloud-based image management and AI grading. As a result, the Saudi Arabia ophthalmic devices market size allocated to diagnostic hardware rises in tandem with digitally linked screening programmes. Surgical-device demand grows at a moderate clip, buoyed by premium intra-ocular-lens adoption in elective cataract and refractive procedures popular in Riyadh and Jeddah. Import tariffs remain a drag on smaller buyers, but multinational suppliers offset duties with leasing options and bundled-service contracts.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Disease Indication: Diabetic Retinopathy Drives Digital Transformation

Cataract retained 35.61% of revenue in 2024, reflecting an ageing population and high surgery volumes in public hospitals. Diabetic retinopathy now registers the fastest growth trajectory with a 7.04% CAGR forecast for 2025-2030, propelled by a diabetes prevalence that reached 7 million patients in 2021. The Saudi Arabia ophthalmic devices market size tied to diabetic-retinopathy care is therefore climbing quickly as payers subsidise AI-based fundus-camera networks and OCT-angiography units for microvascular mapping.

Glaucoma follows with innovation in micro-invasive implants that lower intra-ocular pressure while reducing recovery time. Cataract solutions continue to benefit from premium multifocal- and toric-lens demand among self-pay and medical-tourism cases. Vendors are introducing disposable vitrectomy packs and dual-platform phaco systems to optimise operating-room turnover in high-volume centres, sustaining overall sales momentum despite price pressures.

By End-User: Ambulatory Surgery Centers Capture Outpatient Shift

Hospitals captured 45.71% of total expenditure in 2024, leveraging integrated care pathways and capital-budget cycles. Yet Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) are slated for a 6.92% CAGR, mirroring a global pivot toward day-case ophthalmology, especially cataract and LASIK procedures. Government incentives that lift private-sector participation to 68% by 2030 encourage investors to build ASC networks equipped with femtosecond lasers, phaco platforms, and point-of-care diagnostics—all sourced from the Saudi Arabia ophthalmic devices market.

Specialty ophthalmic clinics also scale quickly as regional chains expand footprints beyond Tier-1 cities. These clinics concentrate on refractive and retina-care niches, purchasing compact imaging towers and portable lasers to fit smaller surgical suites. Hospitals still dominate complex ocular-oncology, paediatric, and trauma cases, ensuring baseline demand for high-acuity microscopes and vitrectomy consoles.