For ZEISS Vision, the Indian market is undergoing a fundamental shift from a focus on aesthetic frames to a demand for deep-tech visual health. As digital strain and screen-induced fatigue become the new workplace reality, the company is moving beyond simple vision correction to address the "cognitive load" on the brain.
In a conversation with FE BrandWagon, Charlotte Hamel, VP – Global Brand Management, ZEISS Vision, explains how the company is leveraging AI to bring precision to eye care, the strategic importance of empowering local eye care professionals over direct retail, and why India’s pragmatic, early-adopter mindset makes it a global pilot for the brand’s newest innovations. (Edited Excerpts)
Q. ZEISS has long been synonymous with precision. How is the Indian consumer's shift toward premium vision experiences changing your localization strategy, and how critical is lens individualization to your growth?
That’s a very interesting question because it reflects where our industry is today globally. I’ve been in India for a week now and met many partners in Bangalore and Delhi. I’ve seen global trends being strongly present here, along with some unique local aspects.
A few years ago, the industry was mostly about frames and style. But over the last four to five years, there has been a major shift toward vision and visual health.
Consumers today are very informed. They search online for issues like dry eyes or digital strain before visiting stores. When they arrive, they want guidance, not just products. So when we talk about premium vision, it’s exactly that. People are no longer willing to compromise. Lenses are not a commodity anymore. This is a global trend and very visible in India as well.
ZEISS has always been associated with precision, but it’s more than that. We aim to deliver a complete experience.
The company was founded nearly 180 years ago by Carl Zeiss. His vision was not just to sell products but to pioneer the science of optics. We are a foundation-owned company, and a significant part of our revenue goes back into science.
We often say science is our main shareholder. From the beginning, there was also a strong focus on employee welfare and social responsibility. The company’s purpose has always been the betterment of humanity.
Q. With the launch of ZEISS ClearMind, you are moving beyond simple correction to addressing cognitive load. How are you marketing visual wellbeing to a digital-first Indian workforce?
ClearMind is a very strategic launch for us. It is being introduced in India and globally. ZEISS has evolved from understanding light to optics, then visual behavior, and now visual perception.
With ClearMind, we go one step further. For the first time, we demonstrated that lens blur impacts cognitive load. It’s not just about the eye, it’s about the connection between the eye and the brain.
So it’s not only about tired eyes, it’s about fatigue, focus, and feeling overwhelmed due to constant screen exposure.
We were initially concerned whether consumers would be ready for this innovation. But the response has been very positive. Consumers understand it, and eye care professionals find it easy to explain.
Around 90% of purchases still happen in physical stores. People trust their eye care professionals for advice and service.
Q. Myopia is becoming a major concern. How is ZEISS approaching this in India?
Myopia management is very important for us. It aligns with our mission of contributing to society.
We’ve created the Myopia Management Collective, which includes eye care professionals, parents, teachers, and pediatricians. It’s not just about lenses; it’s about early detection, awareness, devices, and treatment solutions.
I visited the Aloka Foundation and saw how teachers are trained to identify vision issues in children. That’s something we want to expand globally.
We are also building dedicated consultation spaces for myopia management. India is leading in this area.
Q. What will the ZEISS Vision Centre do to change the form of retail from traditional to empowering local partners?
Our strategy is very clear; that is, not to compete with our customers by going into retail. Rather, we want to help customers. The ZEISS Vision Centres' design is focused on providing a leading-edge consumer experience while connecting the consumer directly with the trusted local eye care provider.
These centers feature a patented seven-step visual analysis process, moving beyond a standard eye test to a holistic health consultation using high-precision 3D mapping and digital lifestyle profiling. By providing independent opticians with this boutique, tech-enabled environment, we enable them to offer a specialized experience that shifts the purchase from a simple commodity to long-term visual wellness.
We are witnessing a major shift in the market as there has been a shift from focusing on the product to focusing on the experience of using the product and from focusing on prestige and status to focusing on the value of personal wellness. Today, vision care has become part of the overall health and lifestyle discussion and is no longer an isolated purchase.
Q. How does ZEISS maintain a premium position in a market as value-conscious as India?
While Indian consumers are traditionally value-conscious, they are also becoming increasingly well-informed. We find that when the functional benefits and long-term advantages of our technology are clearly explained, they are more than willing to invest in their visual health.
The transition to premium is often a one-way street; once a person experiences the clarity and comfort of a high-quality vision solution, they don’t go back to standard options. It is about shifting the focus from the initial cost to the long-term value of a superior experience.
Q. How does ZEISS use AI, while aligning an international brand image with local Indian storytelling?
At ZEISS, we use Artificial Intelligence to greatly increase the accuracy of eye exams, as well as to better match individuals to the products they'll find most suitable. In addition to being used in clinics, we use digital tools to help consumers monitor their vision remotely and essentially connect consumers using these to the professionals providing them with eye care.
Although we have a very strong and consistent global brand image, we recognise the importance of localising our efforts. This means being culturally relevant in how we engage consumers through festivals and culturally appropriate messages that fit into their values and lifestyles, specifically for ZEISS India.
Q. For ZEISS, what makes the Indian market unique growth-wise as compared to other global territories, and what are your biggest priorities in that market?
India is one of our most strategic markets and is frequently an example, as consumers are pragmatic and more importantly, early adopters of technology. The main differentiation of this market is the youth of its population, coupled with a significant amount of awareness about vision health and an entrepreneurial, solution-driven mindset.
As we see our next growth phase emanating from three key pillars: high-end premium experiences, myopia management program expansion and completely new categories such as connected eyewear, we can implement innovative concepts in India as a result of the proactive, positive nature of the market, and implement those innovative strategies globally.
