Cataracts
Pipeline by Development Stage
Ophthalmology is a $3.7B market with a mature, consolidating portfolio dominated by glaucoma treatments and emerging corneal/retinal therapies.
Key Trends
- Glaucoma therapeutics (prostaglandin analogs, adrenergic agents) represent 60%+ of spending but face patent cliffs 2028-2034
- Innovative mechanisms (NGF agonists, LFA-1 antagonists, RTKIs) gaining traction in dry eye and retinal disease segments
- Heavy trial activity (2,656 total) skewed toward Phase 4 (369) and Phase 3 (442), indicating mature clinical development landscape
Career Verdict
Ophthalmology offers stable mid-career opportunities with strong Commercial and Medical Affairs salaries, but limited innovation catalysts and significant patent cliff risk warrant careful timing of entry.
AI-generated market analysis based on FDA, CMS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and hiring data
Market Leaders
| # | Product | Company | Revenue | Share | Stage | Trend | LOE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LUMIGAN (Bimatoprost) | AbbVie | $697M | 19% | LOE_APPROACHING | Declining | |
| 2 | OXERVATE (Cenegermin-BKBJ) | Unspecified | $493M | 13% | PEAK | Stable | |
| 3 | XIIDRA (Lifitegrast) | Bausch + Lomb | $473M | 13% | PEAK | Stable | 7.6yr |
| 4 | INLYTA (Axitinib) | Pfizer | $467M | 13% | PEAK | Growing | 11.2yr |
| 5 | HUMIRA (Adalimumab) | AbbVie | $258M | 7% | LOE_APPROACHING | Declining |
Drug Class Breakdown
mature, losing exclusivity
peak growth in corneal disease
sustained peak sales
expanding in retinal indications
mature, multiple LOE approaching
mature, losing exclusivity
mature immunology approach
Career Outlook
StableOphthalmology offers predictable mid-career growth with strong Commercial ($158K) and Medical Affairs ($247K) compensation but faces structural headwinds: patent cliffs 2028-2034 eliminate $97M in revenue, glaucoma franchise maturity limits blockbuster potential, and modest trial volume (2,656) signals incremental R&D expansion. Best suited for professionals seeking stable roles in established therapeutic areas rather than disruptive innovation.
Breaking In
Enter via Clinical Operations or Commercial analyst roles at CROs (Syneos 210 jobs) or large diagnostics players (Labcorp 904) to build domain expertise before targeting pharma MSL/Medical Affairs positions.
For Experienced Professionals
Experienced professionals should prioritize Medical Affairs and Market Access roles leveraging mature market knowledge; avoid product-specific expertise in glaucoma due to patent cliff concentration, and consider adjacent areas (retinal, corneal) where innovation catalysts remain.
In-Demand Skills
Best For
Hiring Landscape
Ophthalmology hiring (3,202 jobs) is distributed across diagnostics/devices (Labcorp 904, Abbott 348) and pharma commercial functions rather than concentrated in R&D. Top pharmaceutical employers (Pfizer 60, AstraZeneca 100, Regeneron 168) show modest pharma-specific headcount relative to market size, suggesting outsourced CRO and distributor dependency. Medical Affairs ($247K avg salary) commands premium compensation, signaling high barrier to entry but strong mid-career upside.
Top Hiring Companies
By Department
Clinical Operations and Commercial roles offer entry-level stability ($150K-$158K); Medical Affairs commands premium salaries ($247K) but requires advanced credentials; limited R&D hiring (207 jobs) suggests constrained innovation investment.
On Market (3)
Approved therapies currently available
Competitive Landscape
8 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage
Trial Timeline
Clinical trial activity over time
Showing 15 of 50 trials with date data
Clinical Trials (50)
Total enrollment: 7,047 patients across 50 trials
Visual Outcomes After Bilateral Surgical Cataract Phacoemulsification: AcrySof Toric IOL Implantation Compared to Monofocal IOL Implantation
Visual Function After Implantation of AcrySof® Toric Lens
A Comparison of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) Inhibition of Acuvail(Ketorolac 0.45%), Xibrom (Bromfenac 0.09%)and Nevanac (Nepafenac)in Patients Undergoing Phacoemulsification
A Comparison of Peak Aqueous Penetration of Acuvail (Ketorolac 0.45%), Xibrom (Bromfenac 0.09%), and Nevanac (Nepafenac 0.1%)in Patients Undergoing Phacoemulsification
Comparison of Corneal Aberrations and Visual Outcomes in AcrySof IQ Toric Patients Versus Limbal Relaxing Incision (LRI) Patients
Study of Difluprednate vs. Prednisolone Acetate on Visual Acuity, and Corneal Edema Following Cataract Surgery.
Visual Function After Implantation of Bilateral AcrySof® Toric Natural Intraocular Lens
Clinical Evaluation of the Lenstec SBL-3 Multifocal Intraocular Lens
VIGADEXA Gel Compared to VIGADEXA Solution Following Cataract Surgery
Difluprednate Pediatric Study for the Treatment of Inflammation Post-Cataract Surgery
Nepafenac 0.1% Eye Drops, Suspension Compared to Ketorolac Trometamol 0.5% Eye Drops, Solution and Placebo
Post Market Clinical Evaluation of Clareon PanOptix Pro and Clareon PanOptix Pro Toric IOLs
Clareon PanOptix Versus AcrySof PanOptix : Prospective Study Comparing Contrast Sensitivity
Evaluation of AcrySof IQ Vivity Extended Vision Intraocular Lenses
Post-market Clinical Follow-up Study of Alcon TOTAL30® Contact Lenses (Lehfilcon A)
Clinical Performance Evaluation of Two Frequent Replacement Silicone Hydrogel Multifocal Toric Contact Lenses
Clinical Investigation of the TECNIS® Next-Generation Intraocular Lens
Clareon Toric Study (T2-T9)
Post Market Clinical Follow-up (PMCF) Study of Clareon Vivity & Clareon PanOptix
Evaluation of Real-World Data on the Performance of the TECNIS Odyssey™ IOL
Clinical Performance Evaluation of Two Frequent Replacement Silicone Hydrogel Toric Contact Lenses
Assessing the Clinical Performance of Two Frequent Replacement Silicone Hydrogel Multifocal Toric Contact Lenses
Evaluation of Clareon Vivity/Vivity Toric
Clinical Outcomes of Clareon Vivity Intraocular Lens With Mini-Monovision Approach
PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDY FOR NEW INTRAOCULAR LENS, MODEL C0002
Clareon Toric vs Eyhance Toric
Clinical Assessment of a Daily Wear Monthly Replacement Silicone Hydrogel Toric Contact Lens
Evaluation of the TECNIS Symfony® Toric Intraocular Lens
Real-World Study of Vivity Intraocular Lenses (IOLs)
Wear Experience With Daily Toric Contact Lenses Over a Long Day
Rotational Stability of Acrysof IQ Vivity Extended Vision Toric IOL and Refractive Visual Outcome.
Clinical Investigation of the AcrySof IQ Vivity Extended Vision Intraocular Lens (IOL)
Comparison of Two Silicone Hydrogel Toric Contact Lenses
Cataract Refractive Suite Study
Clinical Investigation of Corneal Incision Size After Intraocular Lens (IOL) Implantation
Clinical Investigation of Visual Function After Bilateral Implantation of Two Presbyopia-Correcting Trifocal Intraocular Lenses (IOL)
Cataract Surgery in Indian Patients With or Without LenSx® Laser
Comparison of Centurion® Vision System With Balanced Tip and the Infiniti® Vision System With the Mini Flared Kelman (MFK) Tip During Cataract Extraction Surgery of Hard Lenses
A Real-World Registry to Investigate the Performance of LenSx® Laser in Chinese Patients
Tear Film Evaluation of Dailies® AquaComfort Plus® Multifocal and Toric
Visual Assessment of DAILIES® AquaComfort Plus® for Astigmatism as Compared to 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST® for Astigmatism
On-Eye Evaluation of Contact Lens Axis Location
On-Eye Evaluation of Contact Lens Rotation Marks
A Clinical Outcome Study of Two Multifocal Intraocular Lenses (IOL) in Cataract Patients
AcrySof® IQ ReSTOR® +2.5 D Multifocal Intraocular Lens (IOL) Model SN6AD2 [SV25T0] in Japan
Post Approval Study of the AcrySof® IQ Toric Intraocular Lens (IOL) Models SN6AT6-SN6AT9
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Key Insights
The information on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Drug information is sourced from FDA, DailyMed, and other government databases. Adverse event data from FAERS does not establish causation. Always consult a healthcare professional for medical decisions.