Healthcare delivery accounts for 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions today, according to recent studies. And, as the demand for vision care services increases with a fast-growing, aging population, so has eye care’s environmental impact.
According to the 2022 study entitled, Addressing the Environmental Sustainability of Eye Health-Care Delivery, “If global health care were a country, it would be the fifth largest contributor to carbon emissions in the world. Eye care, as a high-volume service, probably forms a substantial part of these emissions.”
Ophthalmology’s Impact
According to a 2026 study issued in the journal, Ophthalmology, eye care procedures—in particular, cataract surgery—generate considerable carbon emissions and waste. The study’s authors conclude, “Targeted sustainability interventions, supported by systemic institutional reforms, offer promising pathways to reduce emissions and promote environmentally responsible visual healthcare.”
Eco Solutions: Organizations such as EyeSustain, supported by ASCRS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, are working to change this with resources and supports for practices. The organization’s mission: “EyeSustain’s member societies span the globe and are all joined by one mission—to make ophthalmic care and surgery more sustainable.
Additionally, the American Academy of Ophthalmology provides information and resources to MDs on reducing their practice’s impact. A recent article on the subject notes, “Although surveys show that ophthalmologists around the world are nearly unanimous in the opinion that waste in ophthalmology should be reduced, more than a third are unaware of the economic and environmental burden that waste creates.”
“If global health care were a country, it would be the fifth largest contributor to carbon emissions in the world. Eye care, as a high-volume service, probably forms a substantial part of these emissions.”
Vision Care Delivery Impacts
One study by the U.K.’s Centre for Sustainable Healthcare estimates the average carbon footprint of an individual NHS sight test is 5.27 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent. It continues that if this estimate is applied to the UK as a whole, with more than 15 million nationally funded sight tests carried out across the country each year, this would add up to more than 79,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from nationally funded sight tests alone.
Eco Solutions: Transitioning to digital records and communication methods are a more sustainable solution, as well as stocking eco-conscious vison care products—from bio-based plastic frames to sustainably produced and packaged contact lenses.
The vision care products industry has made great strides in sustainability efforts, including employing greener materials and packaging—and it continues to push the needle as a sustainability partner to vision care practitioners today.
Thank you for reading the next article in our exclusive Earth Month Sustainability Matters series, supported by Menicon. View the full article series here—and join us throughout 2026 as we explore the ways in which vision care providers are seamlessly making sustainability a part of their practice.
Erinn Morgan is also the author of the educational book, “Picture Yourself Going Green,” from Cengage Learning.