The Vision Council, representing manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers across the optical industry, has submitted formal comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce opposing potential new tariffs that could affect key optical products and manufacturing equipment.

The organization’s submissions respond to two ongoing Section 232 national security investigations into:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), medical consumables, and medical equipment (Docket No. BIS-2025-0258), and
• Robotics and industrial machinery (Docket No. BIS-2025-0257).

The Council warns that the broad product definitions in these investigations could encompass spectacle lenses, frames, diagnostic instruments, and production machinery, raising costs across the vision care supply chain.

“Affordable access to corrective eyewear is a public health necessity,” said Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council. “Additional duties on optical devices or equipment will make it harder for Americans to access the care they need.”

The Council’s filings emphasize that optical medical devices, such as eyeglasses, contact lenses, and low vision aids, are among the most widely used medical devices in the U.S., with 61% of Americans wearing prescription eyewear. New tariffs, it argued, would increase prices for patients and providers while limiting access to essential care, especially for children, veterans, and vulnerable populations.

The Vision Council also highlighted the ongoing economic strain caused by existing Section 301 tariffs and other trade measures, which have already led to higher costs and reduced margins for many optical businesses. The organization noted that supply chains from countries such as Italy, Germany, Japan, and Mexico are focused on health and vision care, not national security concerns.

Both filings urge the Department of Commerce to establish a transparent exclusion process and to exempt optical products, diagnostic devices, and related manufacturing equipment from any new Section 232 tariff actions.

“Our mission is to ensure policymakers understand that optical products are health tools, not security threats,” added Omar Elkhatib, Senior Manager of Government Relations at The Vision Council. “Tariff relief is essential to maintaining affordable, high-quality vision care for millions of Americans.”

The Vision Council’s Government and Regulatory Affairs team continues to engage with Congress and federal agencies to advocate for tariff relief and protect patient access to vision care.

Source: The Vision Council

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