3 Stocks Riding The Smart Glasses And Eye Care Shift Investors Should Watch

EssilorLuxottica’s management shake-up, which includes record 2025 revenues of €28.5b alongside a share price that has fallen to less than half its level last November, has pushed vision and eyewear technology into the spotlight. For investors, sudden leadership shifts and a renewed push into smart glasses and medical services can reprice expectations fast. This article walks through three stocks exposed to this news and explains why they might deserve a closer look.

The stocks below are just a starting sample from this vision and eyewear theme, and the full screen surfaced 10 more companies with equally interesting narratives that are not covered here. To go straight to the source and identify your own highest conviction ideas, analyze the Vision & Eyewear Technology (Smart Glasses and Eye-Care Devices) screener.

Corning (GLW)

Overview: Corning is a specialty materials and optical communications company that supplies glass, ceramics, and optical components for telecom networks, displays, mobile devices, sunglasses, and various industrial and life sciences applications. Its advanced glass and optics make Corning a potential behind the scenes supplier for smart glasses and other connected eyewear products.

Operations: Corning generates most of its revenue from Optical Communications at about US$7.3b, with Automotive contributing about US$1.8b and a Segment Adjustment line of roughly US$8.5b, alongside a small currency reporting impact.

Market Cap: US$132.9b

Corning provides exposure to the materials and optics that could quietly power smart glasses and connected eyewear, while its core business is tied to large, visible trends such as AI data centers and high speed networks. Multi year fiber and connectivity agreements with customers such as Amazon, Meta, NVIDIA and Zayo indicate demand for its optical products, and the Springboard plan targets several billion dollars of additional annual sales supported by these agreements. The company also carries meaningful debt, relies on non GAAP metrics, and has significant dependence on themes such as Gen AI and solar, so setbacks in these areas could be negative. For investors seeking exposure to the vision technology theme through a scaled glass and fiber supplier, Corning may merit closer attention.

Corning’s quiet role in smart glasses and high speed networks could be masking the real story. Get the full picture through the 4 key rewards and 3 important warning signs and see what might be hiding in the fine print.

STAAR Surgical (STAA)

Overview: STAAR Surgical designs and sells implantable Collamer lenses that sit inside the eye to correct myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia, offering an alternative to laser surgery and traditional eyewear. Its EVO ICL product family is used by ophthalmic surgeons and vision centers worldwide, placing the company squarely in the tech enabled eye care segment of this screener.

Operations: STAAR Surgical generates essentially all of its US$339.6 million in revenue from ophthalmic surgical products, with China as the largest single market at about US$173.1 million and additional contributions from Japan, the United States, and other regions.

Market Cap: US$1.2b

STAAR Surgical provides direct exposure to high tech eye care devices at a time when EssilorLuxottica’s push into medtech and smart eyewear is sharpening investor focus on this niche. The company has turned profitable, carries no debt, and reports strong demand for its EVO lens portfolio in markets such as China, where refractive procedures and premium vision care remain a key driver. At the same time, earnings are sensitive to the health of China’s consumer market, distributor execution, and a relatively young leadership team, and there has been a large one off loss in the last 12 months. For investors who want more than basic glasses exposure, the central consideration is whether STAAR’s growth profile and balance sheet quality outweigh those execution and concentration risks.

STAAR Surgical’s debt free balance sheet and focused eye care niche could be masking a very different risk reward profile than its headline story suggests. Weigh the upside against the pressure points in the 3 key rewards and 1 important warning sign

Glaukos (GKOS)

Overview: Glaukos is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical and medical technology company that develops devices and drug therapies for glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases, placing it firmly in the medical eye care side of the Vision & Eyewear Technology theme. Its products such as iStent micro bypass stents, the iDose TR implant, and corneal cross linking systems are used by surgeons and eye care specialists to help manage chronic vision threatening conditions.

Operations: Glaukos generates all of its US$612.8 million in revenue from the development and commercialization of ophthalmic therapies, with about US$468.5 million from the United States and US$144.3 million from international markets.

Market Cap: US$10.5b

Glaukos provides targeted exposure to high tech eye care devices and drugs at a time when EssilorLuxottica’s push into medtech is drawing more investor attention toward glaucoma and corneal treatments. The company is still reporting losses, relies on external borrowing, and faces reimbursement and competition risks. Products such as iDose TR and newer launches like Epioxa are contributing to higher sales and a broader pipeline in glaucoma, corneal health, and retina. Recent guidance updates and ongoing clinical programs indicate that the company’s strategy and product portfolio continue to evolve. For investors evaluating higher valuation and execution risk in exchange for a focused ophthalmic story, Glaukos may be a significant name within this theme.

Glaukos appears that glaucoma and corneal care are accelerating faster than many investors realize, yet the story still feels incomplete. Read the 2 key rewards and 1 important warning sign to see where optimism might be colliding with a quieter risk.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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