By Todd Patriacca, chief financial officer, Andrew Chang, chief commercial officer and Mikhail Boukhny, senior vice president, R&D, BVI
The global medical device industry is entering a period of accelerated transformation, and ophthalmology sits at the center of that shift.
As populations age, digital ecosystems expand, and expectations for personalised care rise, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of tremendous opportunity and heightened pressure.
Across the sector, three forces are converging: rapid technological evolution, tightening economic conditions, and an increasing demand for solutions that meaningfully address the realities of the surgical workflow.
From our perspective, the message is consistent: success in 2026 will come from a more grounded and purposeful approach to progress.
Not from the pursuit of technology for its own sake, but from the disciplined advancement of tools, platforms, and systems that solve real surgeon and patient needs.
In this piece, we offer a broader view of the future we envision and the elements we must keep in focus as we welcome the year ahead.
Commercial Momentum Will Favour Companies That Solve Real Problems
2026 is shaping up to be a defining year.
Multiple industry players are expanding their ophthalmic portfolios, and practices continue shifting toward premium procedures, driving higher expectations for value and differentiation.
While the global ophthalmic-device market is growing modestly (with forecasts projecting mid-single-digit CAGR), these macro tailwinds alone are unlikely to guarantee success.
In the year ahead, true differentiation will come from addressing real surgeon and patient needs while delivering with operational excellence and disciplined execution.
Surgeons are entering 2026 with sharper expectations.
Across cataract, retina, and glaucoma, they seek tools that enhance efficiency, reduce variability, and deliver more predictable outcomes.
At the same time, their buying behaviors are becoming more discerning: they will choose premium solutions only when those solutions clearly solve an unmet need or remove friction from their daily work.
This defines the commercial reality ahead.
The companies that win in 2026 will be those that deliver clarity, not claims.
Solutions must demonstrate how they address a specific pain point, workflow inefficiency, or clinical nuance.
Launches will only move the needle when they are grounded in solving problems that matter.
As new IOL and equipment platforms come to market, competitive dynamics will intensify.
Commercial teams will need to shift from pushing technology narratives toward demonstrating practical, quantifiable value.
And while the industry often discusses digital integration, the real opportunity is first ensuring excellence in the fundamentals.
Financial Discipline Will Shape Which Innovations Advance and Which Don’t
Economic conditions will play an equally defining role in 2026. Two macroeconomic factors will have outsized impact: interest rates and government healthcare spending.
Lower interest rates could encourage adoption of capital equipment by reducing borrowing costs, generating momentum for technology-heavy categories.
At the same time, mounting pressure on national healthcare budgets could lead to stricter reimbursement controls, pushing hospitals and clinics toward lower-cost alternatives.
This dual dynamic underscore the importance of financial discipline in both innovation and commercialisation.
Every technology investment must answer the same question: Does it simplify processes, improve customer experience, and is built for scale?
As innovation cycles accelerate, organisations will need to be more selective in deploying capital.
For companies that have recently completed large-scale technology investments, 2026 is the year to refocus financial resources on strengthening manufacturing, enhancing quality, and expanding capacity.
These operational reinforcements may not always make headlines, but they are essential for enabling reliable, scalable growth, particularly in the United States, which is poised to be one of the most critical markets in the year ahead.
The next era of ophthalmic progress will not be driven by unbounded innovation, but by the intersection of smart investment, operational excellence, and a clear understanding of where the market is truly headed.
Innovation Will Shift from Aspirational to Operational as Emerging Trends Mature
On the innovation front, 2026 represents a turning point.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning have dominated industry conversations in recent times, but we expect the coming year to bring a shift from rhetoric to real, measurable impact.
Surgeons and staff increasingly expect tailored solutions, from personalised nomograms and digital planning tools to procedure packs configured precisely to their preferences.
Personalisation is no longer a differentiator but a requirement, driven by both clinical benefit and workflow efficiency.
Importantly, customers are willing to share data when they see a tangible return: better outcomes, fewer steps, and reduced variability.
Data-driven design will also reshape how companies identify challenges and refine product performance.
As global connectivity improves, real-world data will allow developers to pinpoint usability bottlenecks, detect outcome outliers, and elevate reliability in ways traditional testing cannot match.
Yet innovation is not without constraints. Regulatory requirements continue to intensify, and although patients widely regard vision as a vital component of their overall well-being, financial limitations still restrict access to many forms of eye care.
R&D teams will need to prioritise opportunities with the clearest clinical relevance and measurable value.
2026 Will Reward Clarity, Discipline, and Purpose
Across commercial, financial, and innovation perspectives, a single theme emerges: 2026 will be a year defined by intentional progress.
Success will come from focusing on what matters most, solving real surgeon problems, elevating execution, investing wisely, and advancing innovations that improve safety, predictability, and workflow simplicity.
The companies that thrive will be those that bring discipline to their ambition and clarity to their strategy.
Not those chasing industry buzzwords, but those building solutions that endure. Solutions that move ophthalmology forward with purpose, evidence, and impact.
BVI is stepping forward with clarity and momentum.
Our recent launches strengthened presence in key local markets like the United States, and renewed operational discipline position us to deliver meaningful value where it matters most: supporting surgeons, improving reliability, and advancing solutions that reflect the real needs of modern ophthalmic care.
Our path ahead is grounded, purposeful, and aligned with the future we aim to help shape.
