{
  "title": "The State of Independent Optometry Websites 2026",
  "edition": "2026-Q4",
  "period": "Q4 2026",
  "sample": false,
  "source": "corpus",
  "note": "Aggregates computed from automated scans. No individual site is identified.",
  "url": "https://clikiti.com/research/optometry/2026-q4",
  "scannedAt": "2026-10-15T13:14:57.920Z",
  "publishedAt": "2026-10-15T13:09:20.195Z",
  "modifiedAt": "2026-10-15T13:15:11.838Z",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Free to use and cite under CC BY 4.0. Credit Clikiti with a link.",
  "citation": "Clikiti. (2026, October 15). The state of independent optometry websites 2026 (Q4 2026) [Report]. https://clikiti.com/research/optometry/2026-q4",
  "audience": "Web agencies and freelancers selling to independent optometry practices and optical boutiques",
  "sampleSize": 123,
  "marginOfErrorPts": 8.8,
  "medianScore": 77,
  "meanScore": 76,
  "meanQuestionsAnswered": 6,
  "questionCount": 10,
  "findings": [
    "Only 7% of the 123 independent optometry websites we scanned show any price: an eye exam, a contact lens fitting or a pair of glasses.",
    "A typical site answers six of the ten questions patients ask before choosing (mean 6).",
    "The median overall score is 77 out of 100 (mean 76).",
    "The least-answered questions are \"What will an eye exam cost me?\" (7%), \"Do other patients vouch for you?\" (33%) and \"Which frames do you carry?\" (50%).",
    "The best-answered are \"Can I book an eye exam online?\" (86%) and \"Can I get contact lenses fitted?\" (85%).",
    "By kind of business, the highest median score is 78 (pediatric and vision therapy), against 77 for family optometry practices, 77 for optical boutiques with an optometrist and 74 for specialty contact lens and dry eye.",
    "88% fail \"Loads in under 2.5 s on a phone\" (Core Web Vitals · LCP).",
    "71% fail \"Text contrast passes 4.5:1\" (WCAG 1.4.3).",
    "39% fail \"Optician, Optometric or MedicalClinic structured data\" (Schema.org · Optician)."
  ],
  "questions": [
    {
      "id": "price",
      "question": "What will an eye exam cost me?",
      "label": "A price shown: an exam, a fitting or eyewear",
      "standard": "Patient question 3",
      "passPct": 7,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 2,
        "peds": 4,
        "spec": 16,
        "bout": 11
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "reviews",
      "question": "Do other patients vouch for you?",
      "label": "Reviews marked up, in a widget or quoted",
      "standard": "Patient question 10",
      "passPct": 33,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 40,
        "peds": 30,
        "spec": 40,
        "bout": 21
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "frames",
      "question": "Which frames do you carry?",
      "label": "Frame brands named",
      "standard": "Patient question 7",
      "passPct": 50,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 58,
        "peds": 19,
        "spec": 40,
        "bout": 79
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "insurance",
      "question": "Do you take my vision plan?",
      "label": "Vision plans named (VSP, EyeMed and so on)",
      "standard": "Patient question 2",
      "passPct": 51,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 60,
        "peds": 37,
        "spec": 52,
        "bout": 50
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "urgent",
      "question": "Can you see me today for a red or injured eye?",
      "label": "Eye emergencies or same-day visits stated",
      "standard": "Patient question 6",
      "passPct": 56,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 70,
        "peds": 30,
        "spec": 56,
        "bout": 61
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "doctor",
      "question": "Who will examine me?",
      "label": "Optometrists named, with their training",
      "standard": "Patient question 8",
      "passPct": 73,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 74,
        "peds": 89,
        "spec": 72,
        "bout": 57
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "contact",
      "question": "How do I reach you, and when are you open?",
      "label": "Tappable phone plus opening hours",
      "standard": "Patient question 9",
      "passPct": 75,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 86,
        "peds": 67,
        "spec": 60,
        "bout": 79
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "kids",
      "question": "Do you see children?",
      "label": "Children's eye exams offered",
      "standard": "Patient question 4",
      "passPct": 78,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 86,
        "peds": 96,
        "spec": 72,
        "bout": 54
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "lenses",
      "question": "Can I get contact lenses fitted?",
      "label": "Contact lens exams or fittings offered",
      "standard": "Patient question 5",
      "passPct": 85,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 95,
        "peds": 52,
        "spec": 96,
        "bout": 89
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "book",
      "question": "Can I book an eye exam online?",
      "label": "Eye exams can be booked or requested online",
      "standard": "Patient question 1",
      "passPct": 86,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 88,
        "peds": 78,
        "spec": 92,
        "bout": 86
      }
    }
  ],
  "technical": [
    {
      "id": "lcp",
      "label": "Loads in under 2.5 s on a phone",
      "standard": "Core Web Vitals · LCP",
      "failPct": 88,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 91,
        "peds": 85,
        "spec": 84,
        "bout": 89
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "con",
      "label": "Text contrast passes 4.5:1",
      "standard": "WCAG 1.4.3",
      "failPct": 71,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 60,
        "peds": 74,
        "spec": 96,
        "bout": 61
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "schema",
      "label": "Optician, Optometric or MedicalClinic structured data",
      "standard": "Schema.org · Optician",
      "failPct": 39,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 26,
        "peds": 44,
        "spec": 32,
        "bout": 61
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "alt",
      "label": "Images have text descriptions",
      "standard": "WCAG 1.1.1",
      "failPct": 33,
      "bySegment": {
        "fam": 42,
        "peds": 33,
        "spec": 28,
        "bout": 21
      }
    }
  ],
  "segments": [
    {
      "id": "fam",
      "name": "Family optometry practices",
      "sites": 43,
      "median": 77,
      "weakPct": 7
    },
    {
      "id": "peds",
      "name": "Pediatric and vision therapy",
      "sites": 27,
      "median": 78,
      "weakPct": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "spec",
      "name": "Specialty contact lens and dry eye",
      "sites": 25,
      "median": 74,
      "weakPct": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "bout",
      "name": "Optical boutiques with an optometrist",
      "sites": 28,
      "median": 77,
      "weakPct": 0
    }
  ],
  "agencyProblems": [
    {
      "id": "price",
      "label": "A price shown: an exam, a fitting or eyewear",
      "standard": "Patient question 3",
      "failPct": 93,
      "question": "What will an eye exam cost me?",
      "fix": "Publish the self-pay price of a routine eye exam and a contact lens fitting, and a starting price for frames or a glasses package.",
      "pitch": "Chains post their exam price. A patient without vision cover finds no number on your site at all.",
      "effort": "Content"
    },
    {
      "id": "lcp",
      "label": "Loads in under 2.5 s on a phone",
      "standard": "Core Web Vitals · LCP",
      "failPct": 88,
      "fix": "Resize and compress the hero image, defer scripts, aim for under 2.5 s on a phone.",
      "pitch": "Your home page takes several seconds to appear on a patient’s phone.",
      "effort": "Build"
    },
    {
      "id": "con",
      "label": "Text contrast passes 4.5:1",
      "standard": "WCAG 1.4.3",
      "failPct": 71,
      "fix": "Raise text contrast to at least 4.5:1 in the theme.",
      "pitch": "On an eye-care site, faint text is the first thing a low-vision patient meets, and it is a WCAG failure.",
      "effort": "Quick fix"
    },
    {
      "id": "reviews",
      "label": "Reviews marked up, in a widget or quoted",
      "standard": "Patient question 10",
      "failPct": 67,
      "question": "Do other patients vouch for you?",
      "fix": "Show the practice’s patient reviews on the site, with Review or AggregateRating markup.",
      "pitch": "Your patients already praise you elsewhere. Your own site does not show it.",
      "effort": "Quick fix"
    },
    {
      "id": "frames",
      "label": "Frame brands named",
      "standard": "Patient question 7",
      "failPct": 50,
      "question": "Which frames do you carry?",
      "fix": "An eyewear page that names the frame brands and designers you carry, with photographs of the optical.",
      "pitch": "Your frame wall is why people choose you over a chain, and the website does not show it.",
      "effort": "Content"
    }
  ]
}