H1 2025 Whitepaper: China's Eye Health Market Analysis

Key Finding 1

China's online eye health market reached CN¥ 26.54 billion in MAT2025, surging +32.7% YoY as rising myopia prevalence and digital lifestyle shifts fuel unprecedented demand across all age groups.

The sustained growth reflects a convergence of structural forces: a myopia population projected to reach 190 million among those under 20 by 2025, continuous government policy intervention strengthening prevention and control frameworks, and deepening consumer awareness driven by social media education. Lamps and lighting led category sales as the largest segment, while personal care and cleaning products — including eye patches, steam eye masks, and eye wash — posted the fastest growth at +44.1% YoY, signaling a consumer shift toward proactive daily eye care routines.

Key Finding 2

Premium anthocyanin ingredients are reshaping the eye care supplement landscape, with bilberry products growing +19.6% YoY to CN¥ 300 million while traditional lutein declined -21.6%, marking a decisive shift toward specialized, science-backed formulations.

The market's structural divergence reveals a clear winner-takes-more dynamic: imported brands Doppelherz, Youthit, and Swisse command 49% of the bilberry segment through "Nordic wild bilberry" origin stories and compound formulation strategies. Meanwhile, Vitamin B complex eye care products exploded with +292.7% growth, confirming market appetite for neuro-visual pathway innovation despite remaining below 1.3% of total category sales.

Key Finding 3

Prescription eye care drugs accelerated at +36.8% YoY to CN¥ 300 million, driven by atropine sulfate eye drops for children's myopia prevention and retinal disease treatments for the aging population.

The pharmaceutical segment exhibits a clear dual-track divergence: OTC drugs maintain volume dominance at CN¥ 770 million (+10.1%) but show a "volume-down, price-up" premiumization pattern, while prescription drugs achieve simultaneous volume and price growth. Notably, traditional chemical anti-fatigue eye drops face contraction as traditional Chinese medicine formulations — Xiasangju (+65.1%) and Mingmu Dihuang Pills (+56.2%) — gain momentum, confirming the return of food-medicine homology philosophy in eye care.