Johnson & Johnson invests $1B in ACUVUE contact lens manufacturing

Jacksonville expansion boosts supply

According to a new announcement from Johnson & Johnson, the company will invest more than $1 billion in its Jacksonville, Florida Vision operations to expand U.S.-based manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of ACUVUE-brand contact lenses.¹ The investment includes construction of a new, state-of-the-art distribution facility alongside next-generation manufacturing and packaging technologies, with full operations targeted for 2028.¹

For optometrists who fit ACUVUE lenses across daily disposable, toric, and multifocal modalities, the expansion signals a strengthened domestic supply chain for one of the most prescribed contact lens brands in the U.S. Johnson & Johnson currently manufactures more than 1.7 billion ACUVUE contact lenses annually for U.S. patients.¹ The Jacksonville site, established in 1981, spans more than 1.5 million square feet of manufacturing, research, distribution, and operations facilities.¹

The $1 billion Jacksonville commitment is part of Johnson & Johnson's previously announced $55 billion U.S. investment in manufacturing, research and development, and technology through early 2029.¹ The expansion is designed to scale domestic capacity and meet growing patient demand, with the company citing more than 40 million patients served in the U.S. and globally.¹ The new distribution facility is currently under construction and is expected to be fully operational in 2028.¹ Johnson & Johnson reports a $6 billion annual economic impact in Florida, supported by 3,500 Jacksonville-area employees.¹ Domestic manufacturing investments of this scale can reduce supply vulnerabilities—a factor with direct relevance to contact lens availability for OD practices, particularly following supply disruptions seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.² Analysts note U.S. medical device and lens manufacturers have increasingly prioritized domestic capacity as part of broader supply chain resilience strategies.²

OD practice implications

ACUVUE remains among the most widely fitted contact lens brands in optometry practice, with a broad portfolio spanning daily disposable spherical, toric, and multifocal designs—including MiSight 1 day (CooperVision) competitor products and its own myopia management platform.³ Expanded domestic manufacturing capacity may support more consistent lens availability, reduce lead times for specialty parameters, and offer greater supply predictability for OD practices managing large contact lens patient panels.² Johnson & Johnson has not announced changes to lens pricing or product availability timelines beyond the 2028 operational target.¹

"This investment reinforces our long-standing conviction that advanced manufacturing in the United States is essential to delivering innovative, high quality healthcare solutions to patients at home and around the world," Joaquin Duato, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson, said in a press statement.¹

For ODs, the practical near-term takeaway centers on supply chain stability rather than new product launches. The 2028 operational timeline means the full benefit of expanded capacity is roughly two years out, but the scale of the investment suggests long-term commitment to the U.S. contact lens market. Practices may wish to monitor communications from Johnson & Johnson Vision sales representatives regarding any interim capacity updates or specialty parameter availability.

References:

1. Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson invests more than $1 billion to strengthen U.S. vision manufacturing in Jacksonville, Florida. Press release. June 15, 2026. https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases/johnson-johnson-invests-more-than-1-billion-to-strengthen-u-s-vision-manufacturing-in-jacksonville-florida

2. Ranney ML, Griffeth V, Jha AK. Critical supply shortages — the need for ventilators and personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(18):e41. doi:10.1056/NEJMp2006141

3. Sulley A, Young G, Hunt C. Factors in the success of new contact lens wearers. Contact Lens Anterior Eye. 2017;40(1):15-24. doi:10.1016/j.clae.2016.10.002