UAE Ophthalmic Diagnostic Equipment Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The UAE Ophthalmic Devices Market Report is Segmented by Device Type (Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices, Surgical Devices, and Vision Care Devices), Disease Indication (Cataract, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, Other Disease Indications), End-User (Hospitals, Specialty Ophthalmic Clinics, and More. The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

UAE Ophthalmic Devices Market Size and Share

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UAE Ophthalmic Devices Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The UAE ophthalmic devices market size stands at USD 0.24 billion in 2025 and is on course to reach USD 0.33 billion by 2030, supported by a 6.69% CAGR over 2025-2030. Sustained demand arises from the country’s high diabetes prevalence, mandatory vision-screening regulations, and the government’s commitment to AI-enabled eye-care programs. Vision-care products—spectacles, contact lenses, and related accessories—retain the largest revenue pool, while diagnostic systems such as fundus cameras and OCT scanners post the fastest unit growth. Hospitals continue to underwrite capital-intensive purchases, but ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are attracting fresh device installations as cataract and refractive procedures shift to day-care settings. International manufacturers deepen their regional presence through partnerships with Emirati hospital groups, using Dubai and Abu Dhabi as launchpads for premium innovations.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By device type, vision-care products held 64.21% of the UAE ophthalmic devices market share in 2024; diagnostic and monitoring systems are expanding at an 8.81% CAGR to 2030.
  • By disease indication, cataract accounted for a 40.31% slice of the UAE ophthalmic devices market size in 2024, whereas diabetic retinopathy cases are climbing at a 7.99% CAGR through 2030.
  • By end-user, hospitals dominated with 42.51% revenue in 2024, while ASCs represent the fastest-growing setting at a 7.84% CAGR to 2030.

Segment Analysis

By Device Type: Vision Care Holds Leadership While Diagnostics Accelerate

Vision care products retained 64.21% of the UAE ophthalmic devices market in 2024 on the back of mandatory insurance cover and a consumer preference for high-fashion frames. Optical retail majors leverage robust footfall from license-renewal examinations to cross-sell premium lenses. Diagnostic platforms, registering an 8.8% CAGR to 2030, scale rapidly as AI algorithms demand high-resolution imaging inputs. Vendor roadmaps focus on portable OCT units operable in primary-care settings, enlarging reach beyond tertiary hospitals.

Momentum for surgical systems centers on femtosecond laser consoles and micro-invasive glaucoma shunts. Hospital groups trial disposable phaco tips to shorten re-processing cycles, enhancing ASC economics. These upgrades maintain revenue diversity and cushion suppliers against cyclical swings in vision-care accessories.

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

By Disease Indication: Cataract Remains Dominant as Diabetic Retinopathy Surges

Cataract captured a 40.31% UAE ophthalmic devices market share in 2024, propelled by sunlight exposure and a greying expatriate workforce. Clinics differentiate through premium trifocal lenses that extend clear focus across all distances, lifting procedure revenue per case. Diabetic retinopathy, growing at 7.99% CAGR, overtakes glaucoma as the second-largest value pool by 2030. Laser photocoagulation devices equipped with pattern-scan modules secure higher adoption as payers authorise early-intervention protocols to limit downstream costs.

Marker-based AMD monitoring and micro-shunt implants for glaucoma round out the therapeutic mix. Suppliers integrate voice-activated microscopes to streamline theatre workflow, an appealing feature given the surgeon shortfall in peripheral emirates.

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

By End-User: Hospitals Retain Scale Advantage as ASCs Gain Momentum

Hospitals supplied 42.51% of total device revenue in 2024, reflecting their capacity to absorb USD 1 million+ multi-room surgical build-outs. Integrated ophthalmology departments within quaternary centres handle complex cases such as combined corneal-retinal repairs that command higher average selling prices. ASCs, registering a 7.84% CAGR, benefit from insurance reimbursement parity for same-day cataract surgery, steering a volume shift away from inpatient settings. Purpose-built day-surgery facilities now feature three-room layouts that accommodate parallel surgery lists, further boosting equipment utilisation.

Specialty eye clinics thrive in preventive care and chronic disease follow-ups, particularly in diabetic retinopathy management where monthly OCT scans are routine. Their procurement skew favours compact imaging units that fit within 1,000 sq ft footprints typical of retail-adjacent premises.

Geography Analysis

Dubai anchors the UAE ophthalmic devices market thanks to a concentration of private hospitals, a vibrant optical retail scene, and the emirate’s branding as a medical-tourism hub. The Dubai Health Authority’s investment promotion programme offers streamlined licensing and 100% foreign ownership, enticing multinational manufacturers to situate regional headquarters in Dubai Healthcare City. Continuous inflows of affluent visitors seeking Lasik and lens-replacement procedures underpin premium-device turnover.

Abu Dhabi positions itself as an innovation centre, leveraging public-private partnerships through its Department of Health. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s adoption of the PreserFlo MicroShunt for glaucoma management signals first-mover status in high-value subsegments. The Thiqa insurance scheme’s broad coverage of ophthalmic interventions supports steady patient flows. Government AI pilots run out of Abu Dhabi’s tech parks bolster demand for interoperable imaging modalities.

Northern emirates—Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain—present underpenetrated retail and surgical opportunities. MAGRABi Retail Group’s takeover of Kefan Optics injects modern dispensing formats into these catchments. Public hospitals procure autorefractors and slit lamps in bulk as part of primary-care upgrades, yet adoption of femtosecond lasers lags due to limited surgeon availability. Tele-consult platforms that connect metropolitan specialists to peripheral clinics aim to bridge this gap, subtly stimulating demand for high-definition fundus cameras compatible with cloud networks.

Competitive Landscape

Global suppliers—Alcon, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Carl Zeiss Meditec, and Bausch + Lomb—anchor the UAE ophthalmic devices market through direct offices and preferred-supplier contracts with flagship hospitals. Johnson & Johnson’s rollout of its TECNIS Odyssey IOL range targets cataract cases seeking spectacle independence. Alcon drives adoption of its image-guided femtosecond system that calibrates capsulotomy diameter in real time.

Regional consolidation intensifies in vision care. MAGRABi Retail Group’s acquisition of Kefan Optics adds more than 100 outlets, creating a pan-Gulf dispensing network that guarantees volume commitments to lens manufacturers. EssilorLuxottica’s majority stake in Ghanada Optical Co. secures an Abu Dhabi prescription laboratory, tightening control over edging and surfacing, and enabling two-day delivery to coastal emirates.

Technology partnerships, increasingly featuring AI layers, distinguish premium suppliers. Heidelberg Engineering teams with RetinSight to embed deep-learning algorithms into OCT workstations, elevating clinicians’ capacity to assess geographic atrophy progression. Bayer’s RAFEK initiative with the Emirates Society of Ophthalmology illustrates cross-sector collaboration where pharmaceutical know-how dovetails with device-based disease monitoring.

UAE Ophthalmic Devices Industry Leaders

  1. Alcon Inc.

  2. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG

  3. EssilorLuxottica SA

  4. Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

  5. Bausch + Lomb Corporation

  6. *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
UAE Ophthalmic Devices Market
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Recent Industry Developments

  • May 2025: MAGRABi Retail Group acquired Kefan Optics, enlarging its store footprint across the Gulf.
  • March 2025: Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi celebrated its 10th anniversary, crossing 1 million treated patients and 26,000 surgeries in 2024, many in ophthalmology.
  • March 2025: Burjeel Holdings posted AED 5.0 billion revenue, up 10.5%, citing expanded eye-care services as a growth pillar.
  • February 2025: Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi restored sight to a patient blind for 30 years, highlighting advanced corneal and retinal techniques.
  • January 2025: Dubai Health Authority issued new standards for optical centers covering equipment and staffing minimums.

Table of Contents for UAE Ophthalmic Devices Industry Report

1. Introduction

  • 1.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition
  • 1.2 Scope of the Study

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Landscape

  • 4.1 Market Overview
  • 4.2 Market Drivers
    • 4.2.1 Rising Prevalence of Diabetes-Linked Retinopathy in Emirati Population
    • 4.2.2 Mandatory Periodic Vision Screening for Driving License Renewals
    • 4.2.3 Medical Tourism Initiatives Boosting Premium Eye-Care Demand
    • 4.2.4 Surge in Femto-Laser Cataract Procedures at Day-Surgery Centers
    • 4.2.5 Government-Funded AI & Tele-Ophthalmology Pilots
    • 4.2.6 Expansion of Vision Insurance (Thiqa, Dubai Mandatory Plans)
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 High Capital Cost of Advanced OCT & Femto Lasers
    • 4.3.2 Shortage of Fellowship-Trained Ophthalmic Surgeons Outside Tier-1 Cities
    • 4.3.3 Import Tariff & Registration Delays for New Devices
    • 4.3.4 Safety Concerns over Low-Cost IOL Failures
  • 4.4 Regulatory Outlook
  • 4.5 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
    • 4.5.1 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.5.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers / Consumers
    • 4.5.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.5.4 Threat of Substitute Products
    • 4.5.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5. Market Size & Growth Forecasts (Value, USD)

  • 5.1 By Device Type
    • 5.1.1 Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices
    • 5.1.1.1 OCT Scanners
    • 5.1.1.2 Fundus & Retinal Cameras
    • 5.1.1.3 Autorefractors & Keratometers
    • 5.1.1.4 Corneal Topography Systems
    • 5.1.1.5 Ultrasound Imaging Systems
    • 5.1.1.6 Perimeters & Tonometers
    • 5.1.1.7 Other Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices
    • 5.1.2 Surgical Devices
    • 5.1.2.1 Cataract Surgical Devices
    • 5.1.2.2 Vitreoretinal Surgical Devices
    • 5.1.2.3 Refreactive Surgical Devices
    • 5.1.2.4 Glaucoma Surgical Devices
    • 5.1.2.5 Other Surgical Devices
    • 5.1.3 Vision Care Devices
    • 5.1.3.1 Spectacles Frames & Lenses
    • 5.1.3.2 Contact Lenses
  • 5.2 By Disease Indication
    • 5.2.1 Cataract
    • 5.2.2 Glaucoma
    • 5.2.3 Diabetic Retinopathy
    • 5.2.4 Other Disease Indications
  • 5.3 By End-user
    • 5.3.1 Hospitals
    • 5.3.2 Specialty Ophthalmic Clinics
    • 5.3.3 Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs)
    • 5.3.4 Other End-users

6. Competitive Landscape

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Market Share Analysis
  • 6.3 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Business Segments, Financials, Headcount, Key Information, Market Rank, Market Share, Products and Services, and analysis of Recent Developments)
    • 6.3.1 Alcon Inc.
    • 6.3.2 Johnson & Johnson Vision Care
    • 6.3.3 Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    • 6.3.4 Bausch + Lomb Corporation
    • 6.3.5 EssilorLuxottica SA
    • 6.3.6 Topcon Corporation
    • 6.3.7 Nidek Co., Ltd.
    • 6.3.8 HOYA Corporation
    • 6.3.9 Haag-Streit Group
    • 6.3.10 Glaukos Corporation
    • 6.3.11 STAAR Surgical Company
    • 6.3.12 Rayner Intraocular Lenses Ltd.
    • 6.3.13 Oculentis GmbH
    • 6.3.14 OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH
    • 6.3.15 Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems AG
    • 6.3.16 Lumenis Ltd.
    • 6.3.17 Optos PLC
    • 6.3.18 Canon Medical Systems Corporation

7. Market Opportunities & Future Outlook

  • 7.1 White-Space & Unmet-Need Assessment
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UAE Ophthalmic Devices Market Report Scope

As per the scope of the report, ophthalmology is a branch of medical science that deals with structure, function, and various diseases related to the eye. Ophthalmic devices are medical equipment for diagnosis, surgical, and vision correction purposes. The UAE ophthalmic devices market is segmented by devices (surgical devices (glaucoma drainage devices, glaucoma stents and implants, intraocular lenses, lasers, and other surgical devices), diagnostic and monitoring devices (autorefractors and keratometers, corneal topography systems, ophthalmic ultrasound imaging systems, ophthalmoscopes, optical coherence tomography scanners, other diagnostic and monitoring devices), and vision correction devices (spectacles and contact lenses).

The report offers the value (USD million) for the above segments.

By Device Type Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices OCT Scanners
Fundus & Retinal Cameras
Autorefractors & Keratometers
Corneal Topography Systems
Ultrasound Imaging Systems
Perimeters & Tonometers
Other Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices
Surgical Devices Cataract Surgical Devices
Vitreoretinal Surgical Devices
Refreactive Surgical Devices
Glaucoma Surgical Devices
Other Surgical Devices
Vision Care Devices Spectacles Frames & Lenses
Contact Lenses
By Disease Indication Cataract
Glaucoma
Diabetic Retinopathy
Other Disease Indications
By End-user Hospitals
Specialty Ophthalmic Clinics
Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs)
Other End-users
By Device Type
Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices OCT Scanners
Fundus & Retinal Cameras
Autorefractors & Keratometers
Corneal Topography Systems
Ultrasound Imaging Systems
Perimeters & Tonometers
Other Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices
Surgical Devices Cataract Surgical Devices
Vitreoretinal Surgical Devices
Refreactive Surgical Devices
Glaucoma Surgical Devices
Other Surgical Devices
Vision Care Devices Spectacles Frames & Lenses
Contact Lenses
By Disease Indication
Cataract
Glaucoma
Diabetic Retinopathy
Other Disease Indications
By End-user
Hospitals
Specialty Ophthalmic Clinics
Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs)
Other End-users
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Key Questions Answered in the Report

What is the current value of the UAE ophthalmic devices market?

The market is valued at USD 0.24 billion in 2025 and is projected to hit USD 0.33 billion by 2030.

Which device category leads revenue generation?

Vision-care products hold 64.2% of revenue owing to mandatory insurance coverage and high consumer uptake.

Why are diagnostic systems growing the fastest?

AI-enabled screening initiatives and mandatory license-renewal examinations push demand for fundus cameras and portable OCT units, driving an 8.8% CAGR.

How does medical tourism influence the market?

A rising influx of international patients, especially to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, accelerates adoption of premium technologies like femtosecond lasers and trifocal IOLs.

What are the main challenges limiting market growth?

High upfront equipment costs, a shortage of fellowship-trained surgeons in smaller emirates, and import-registration delays temper wider device penetration.

Which end-user segment is expanding the quickest?

Ambulatory surgery centers record a 7.84% CAGR as cataract and refractive surgeries migrate to day-care settings that offer faster discharge and lower costs.

Page last updated on: July 15, 2025

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