Lenskart's Vision: How an Indian Startup is Transforming Global Eyewear

Lenskart's Vision: How an Indian Startup is Transforming Global Eyewear

In India, millions of people struggle with poor eyesight but don’t even know it. Many can’t afford proper eye check-ups or don’t have easy access to quality eyewear. This basic yet important need often goes unmet. That’s the problem Lenskart set out to solve — and now, it's not just helping people in India, but expanding its smart vision across the globe.

The Beginning: Solving a Big Problem

Founded in 2010 by Peyush Bansal along with Amit Chaudhary and Sumeet Kapahi, Lenskart is solving huge problems in the country. Peyush was formerly with Microsoft and so got to know that vision problems were the late realizations for lots of Indians, and quality eyewear was either too expensive or unreasonably hard to procure.

He once said,

"Vision care should not be a luxury. It should be a basic right."

This thought became the guiding light for Lenskart.

What Made Lenskart Different?

While most stores were selling glasses only in-person, it was Lenskart that started the market for eyewear for homes with the help of technology. Glasses could be ordered online or by walking into the store. Today, Lenskart has over 2,000 stores across the globe and more than 1,500 in India.

The Lenskart team sends trained professionals to perform eye tests right at the customer's home. The customers can see how glasses look on their face using their phones or computers.

The manufacturing of the eyeglasses of Lenskart is conducted in a smart factory by robots- which helps lowering the costs and increasing the quality.

These strategies have helped Lenskart serve over 40 million customers-and counting.

Customer Stories: Real Impact.

Neha, a college student from Lucknow, has been experiencing fuzzy vision throughout lessons but neglected it owing to time and economic constraints.

"I kept thinking glasses were too pricey. When I discovered Lenskart online, I scheduled a free eye test at home. The next week, I received elegant spectacles. "It was simple, quick, and inexpensive!" she said.

Imran, a delivery executive in Dubai, was new to the city and didn't know where to find high-quality glasses.

 "I went into a Lenskart store here, exactly as I used to in India.  It seemed familiar, and the service was exceptional.  I got two pairs in less than 30 minutes, one for work and one for weekends.  "Lenskart made me feel at home even in a new country," he said.

 These are just two of the numerous tales that demonstrate how Lenskart is making vision care more accessible and meaningful.

Going Global: From India to the World

Now that Lenskart has made a name for itself in India, it set out to conquer foreign lands. It went into countries such as Singapore, UAE, and in Saudi Arabia, almost opening six stores in a matter of months.

In one of the interviews, Peyush Bansal stated:

"We want to be the go-to eyewear brand not just in India, but globally. People everywhere should have access to smart, stylish, and affordable glasses."

In terms of growth, it has successfully raised a big bag of almost $ 1 billion in the last 18 months. Recently, in June 2024, they raised $200 million from Temasek, Fidelity, and other investors for encouraging global expansion and enhancing tech further.

They bought a company called Tango Eye, which uses AI to see the stores  and improve customer service and product quality.

Building a Vision Ecosystem

Lenskart is not only about selling spectacles. It wants to create a whole ecosystem for eye care. The Lenskart Vision Fund has been launched to support start-ups focused on eyewear and eye care. Lenskart has also acquired a stake in Le Petit Lunetier, a French brand, to offer stylish options to its customers, especially in Asia and the Middle East.

Why It Matters

Poor eyesight results in the degradation of learning abilities, work performance, and confidence. By making eye care easy, smart, and affordable, Lenskart is changing destinies.

Peyush Bansal puts it best:

"We are just getting started. The world has millions of eyes, and we want to help every one of them see better."

The Road Ahead

As Lenskart keeps expanding, all eyes are on its next move. Can this Indian startup truly become a global leader in eyewear? With its smart business model, strong investor backing, and bold vision, it’s certainly on the right path.

But perhaps the more exciting question is — how far can smart vision go in changing the way the world sees ?