Seeing What’s Next
Rohan Paul, Business Head – Vision Care, ZEISS India & Neighbouring Markets, on the changing landscape of vision care in India
In an exclusive conversation with VisionPlus, Rohan Paul, Business Head – Vision Care, ZEISS India & Neighbouring Markets, shares his perspective on the evolving vision care landscape in India.
India’s vision care market is entering a new phase of growth. What shifts do you believe will have the greatest impact on the industry?
India’s vision care market is being shaped by three important shifts.
The first is a consumer shift. Rising incomes, greater awareness and exposure to better experiences across categories are raising expectations.
The second is a visual needs shift. Longer screen time, intensive near work and changing lifestyles are creating more diverse visual requirements.
The third is a technology shift. Advances in technology, lens design and dispensing are enabling eye care professionals to deliver more precise outcomes.
Together, these shifts are changing what consumers need, how vision care is delivered and how the industry will grow.
As the industry moves beyond product-led retail, what will it take to create truly differentiated and experience-led vision
care journeys?
A truly differentiated vision care journey starts by keeping the consumer at the heart of the experience. Consumers increasingly expect three things: that their needs are genuinely understood, that recommendations are backed by expertise and technology they can trust, and that the entire experience is simple and friction-free. Retailers that can consistently deliver on all three will create meaningful differentiation.
At ZEISS, we work with Eye Care Practitioners to support this in a variety of ways.
For example, SpecsLounge platform helps connect digital discovery with the expertise of local eye care professionals, Retail Health Checks help identify opportunities to strengthen retail performance and consumer experience, and the ZEISS VISION CENTER concept brings technology, consultation and personalised care together in a retail environment designed around the consumer journey.
With rising screen exposure and changing lifestyles, how can the industry respond more effectively to emerging concerns such as myopia and visual fatigue?
Experts forecast that by 2050 half of the world’s population will be myopic. But what’s more concerning is that the proportion of myopes that are likely to become high myopes will be nearly ten percent in 2050.
It is becoming one of the most pressing vision care challenges of our time, and as an industry, we need to respond with much greater urgency.
Addressing this challenge requires a more structured approach built around four priorities- greater awareness, early detection, regular monitoring and appropriate management.
The earlier we act, the greater the opportunity to positively influence long-term visual outcomes for future generations.
From diagnostics and lens design to dispensing and retail, how is technology redefining the way consumers experience
vision care?
At ZEISS, our purpose is to protect and improve the vision and lifetime visual health of the world’s consumers. A recent example of how we bring this purpose to life is ZEISS ClearMind lenses. Developed to address the visual demands of modern life, ZEISS ClearMind lenses provide extremely clear vision and are scientifically proven to reduce cognitive load, elevating how people see and feel. Our device technologies are designed to work together across the entire vision care journey, from understanding visual needs to recommending personalised solutions.
Independent opticians remain integral to India’s vision care ecosystem. What opportunities can help them evolve and compete in an increasingly sophisticated market?
Independent opticians continue to be an integral part of India’s vision care landscape. Their biggest advantage is their deep understanding of local consumers and the trust they have built over many years.
Our internal research shows that four out of five consumers look to eye care professionals for information and guidance on visual health.
This places an even greater responsibility on practitioners to stay updated on topics such as myopia management and evolving vision care needs. Those who can combine trusted advice, personalised care and consistent consumer experience will continue to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. At ZEISS, we support this evolution through our partnership programs, technology, training and practice-development initiatives.
As Tier-II and Tier-III markets become increasingly important, what opportunities do you see for expanding access to quality vision care across India?
Tier-II and Tier-III markets represent one of the biggest opportunities to expand quality vision care in India.
Rising aspirations, greater awareness and the willingness of local optical entrepreneurs to invest in better technology and capabilities are already transforming these markets.
The opportunity now is to support this momentum with the right training, technology and service standards, enabling consumers to access high-quality vision care closer to home. At ZEISS India, around 60% of participants in our partnership programs are located outside the top eight cities, reflecting the growing importance of these markets.
As VisionPlus marks its 25th year of connecting and shaping India’s optical industry, what message would you like to share with our readers?
Firstly, congratulations to VisionPlus on completing 25 years. This milestone reflects the important role it has played in bringing the optical industry together and creating a platform for learning, knowledge-sharing and dialogue.
To your readers, I would simply say that this is an exciting time for the
vision care industry.
Consumer expectations are evolving, innovation is accelerating and our understanding of long-term visual health continues to deepen. These changes create tremendous opportunities for all of us to elevate the standard of vision care and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
