AS WE CLOSE THE BOOKS ON 2025 and think about the opportunities of 2026, it is important to look back and reflect. Last year we said "Artificial intelligence (AI) has shown up in a big way." This year, some might say that AI has become an overly enthusiastic, slightly awkward eyecare intern. Maybe next year it will come of age. Last year, we said there would be “uncertainty and optimism for the economy.” The Chicago Board Options Exchange’s Volatility Index (VIX) is a measure of S&P 500 stock index volatility. As of this writing, the VIX is 19 (near normal) compared to 16 (normal) 1 year ago. Yes, there are uncertainties ahead, but we do have much to look forward to in 2026 and beyond.

Opportunities will continue to appear in ocular surface disease and myopia control. And a significant event happened in the United States in 2025—the approval of the first spectacle lens for myopia control. This milestone has the potential to alter the standard of care when working with kids and teens, and may have a potential impact on contact lens fitting. For these reasons, we have named it the 2025 Contact Lens Event of the Year.

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