Analysis
NAICS 423460 is the 2022 national industry for ophthalmic goods merchant wholesalers, part of 42346 (Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 13 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 999 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 19,689 people at an average annual payroll of $77,262 per employee (65th percentile of national industries). 56% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include binoculars merchant wholesalers, contact lenses merchant wholesalers, eyeglasses merchant wholesalers and frames, ophthalmic, merchant wholesalers, among 13 in all.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 8% and employment fell 14%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of professional equipment, instruments, and/or goods sold, prescribed, or used by ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians.
Illustrative Examples:
Binoculars merchant wholesalers Optometric equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers Ophthalmic frames merchant wholesalers Sunglasses merchant wholesalers Ophthalmic lenses merchant wholesalers
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Index entries (13)
- Binoculars merchant wholesalers
- Contact lenses merchant wholesalers
- Eyeglasses merchant wholesalers
- Frames, ophthalmic, merchant wholesalers
- Glasses, optical, merchant wholesalers
- Lens blanks, ophthalmic, merchant wholesalers
- Lenses, optical, merchant wholesalers
- Magnifying glasses merchant wholesalers
- Ophthalmic goods (except cameras) merchant wholesalers
- Optical goods (except cameras) merchant wholesalers
- Optometric equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Professional equipment and supplies, optical, merchant wholesalers
- Sunglasses merchant wholesalers