The Vision Council has urged the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) to exclude eyewear and optical products from any new tariff actions linked to Section 301 investigations into structural excess capacity.
The national trade association for the optical industry testified on May 5 during public hearings being held at the US International Trade Commission in Washington, DC. The hearings, scheduled for May 5–8, are examining structural excess capacity across 16 economies.
Omar Elkhatib, Director of Government Relations at The Vision Council, told USTR that eyewear and optical products should fall outside the scope of any resulting tariff measures. Elkhatib argued that the optical sector does not reflect the overcapacity dynamics targeted by the investigation, describing prescription eyewear as a demand-driven, medically necessary product rather than a commodity subject to structural overproduction.
The association warned that additional duties on imported optical inputs – including specialty polymers, acetate sheet, titanium alloys and optical blanks – would increase costs for US manufacturers instead of protecting domestic production. It also said higher tariffs could compress margins, undermine investment in innovation, and weaken the competitiveness of US optical businesses.
The Vision Council also raised concerns about patient access. More than 70% of Americans currently rely on prescription eyewear, and the association said even modest out-of-pocket cost increases could lead patients to delay care. It warned this delay could increase the risk of undetected conditions such as diabetic eye disease and glaucoma, with wider consequences for public health, education and workforce productivity.
Elkhatib also noted that prescription eyewear is classified by the FDA as a Class I medical device but still does not receive the same tariff exemptions as other low-risk medical products. Eyewear products are already subject to Section 301 duties from earlier China-related actions, making further tariffs particularly damaging, the association said.
Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council, said additional duties would raise manufacturing costs “and make vision care less affordable for the workers and families who need it most.”
The association called on USTR to recognize the industry’s reliance on globally sourced inputs, assess downstream affordability impacts, and establish a review process for existing Section 301 duties affecting medical devices.
Source: The Vision Council.
