EssilorLuxottica Advances AI-driven Eye Health with RetinAI Acquisition and New Global Innovation Summit

Global eyewear and vision care giant EssilorLuxottica has announced two major initiatives this week aimed at cementing its leadership in connected healthcare and med-tech innovation: the acquisition of Swiss health technology firm RetinAI and the launch of a new global industry event, SWITCH: Vision Innovation Summit.

The moves underscore the company’s accelerating push into artificial intelligence (AI) and data-powered eye health solutions, positioning it at the forefront of a rapidly evolving ophthalmic sector.

RetinAI joins the EssilorLuxottica portfolio

On 15 October, EssilorLuxottica confirmed it had acquired Ikerian AG, which operates under the RetinAI brand. Founded in 2017, the company develops advanced AI and machine learning software that streamlines clinical and research workflows across ophthalmology and optometry.

RetinAI’s flagship platform, RetinAI Discovery, is both FDA-cleared and CE-marked, enabling healthcare professionals to process and analyse large-scale retinal images and biomarker data. The platform supports disease detection and monitoring for conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

EssilorLuxottica Chairman and CEO Francesco Milleri said the acquisition would strengthen the group’s growing med-tech ecosystem: “In the past year alone, we’ve made several bold moves in med-tech, all with the goal of building the most comprehensive, digitally enabled patient journey. RetinAI will add incredible value to an ecosystem that already includes comprehensive eyecare, advanced diagnostics, therapeutic innovation and surgical excellence. Leveraging its AI-powered analytics, we can turn clinical data into insights that enable faster, more accurate diagnoses and more effective disease monitoring. We are ushering in a new era of healthcare, and it will be transformative for patients everywhere".

RetinAI CEO Carlos Ciller described the deal as a “defining moment” for the company: “Joining EssilorLuxottica marks a defining moment in our journey. This acquisition opens an exciting new chapter for our team and technology. From the start, we’ve believed in the power of data and AI to transform patient care. With EssilorLuxottica’s global reach and deep commitment to innovation, we can now bring that vision to life at an entirely new scale and level of positive impact. Together, we’ll shape how technology drives better healthcare, sharper vision, and improved outcomes for patients”

SWITCH Summit to explore the future of connected healthcare

Just a day earlier, on 14 October, the company announced SWITCH: Vision Innovation Summit by EssilorLuxottica, a new industry-wide event designed to showcase the forces reshaping vision care in the age of AI and digital transformation.

Set for March and April 2026, the three-day summit will take place in Orlando, Florida, for the Americas, and Monte-Carlo for EMEA and Asia-Pacific audiences. The event aims to gather industry professionals to explore topics from AI wearables and med-tech breakthroughs to myopia innovation and the broader future of personalised vision care.

Milleri said the summit would foster collaboration and forward-thinking across the global eyecare community. “The world we play and practice in tomorrow will be more predictive, more personalized, more powerful through AI, data and other developments, and it’s essential that eyecare professionals are in the driver’s seat. In creating SWITCH, we will provide an ideal environment for the kind of elevated conversation, discovery and relationships needed to succeed in a much more connected world. We look forward to delivering an experience that truly reflects the inspiring times we’re living in,” said Francesco Milleri, Chairman and CEO, and Paul du Saillant, Deputy CEO at EssilorLuxottica.

EssilorLuxottica’s recent moves reflect its strategy to go beyond traditional eyewear and lens design toward a fully integrated, data-driven healthcare model. With more than 200,000 employees in 150 countries, the company generated €26.5 billion in revenue in 2024, supported by strong R&D investment and a growing portfolio of med-tech solutions.

Together, the RetinAI acquisition and SWITCH Summit signal the company’s commitment to redefining how vision care is delivered: harnessing AI to make eye health more predictive, personalised and preventive.