How do optometrists finance equipment?
Whether you’re adding one lane or opening a whole office, you can usually spread the cost over two to seven years of monthly payments. Here’s how optometry equipment financing works and what the equipment costs in 2026.
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Optometrists held about 45,100 U.S. jobs in 2025, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects 10% growth by 2035, much faster than average (Occupational Outlook Handbook). About 61% of them work in offices of optometrists, and those are the practices buying their own equipment.
One thing up front. We finance the equipment your practice buys. We don’t finance what patients pay for exams, glasses or surgery.
What financing programs are available for optometrists?
The main financing programs for optometrists are equipment finance agreements, leases, used and private-party financing, practice acquisition loans and equipment leasebacks. Here’s how our optometry equipment financing programs compare:
| Program | Terms | What it’s used for |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment finance agreement (EFA) | 24 to 84 months | Equipment you’ll keep: lanes, chairs, edgers, a full build-out. You own it from day one. |
| $1 buyout or 10% option lease | 24 to 60 months | You own it at the end for $1, or for 10% of the original cost. The 10% option lowers the payment. |
| Fair market value (FMV) lease | 24 to 60 months | OCT and imaging that gets updated every few years. The lowest payment, and you can return it at the end. |
| Used and private-party | Often shorter than new | Used lanes, phoropters and edgers. 10% to 15% down from a dealer, 15% to 25% on a private sale. |
| Practice acquisition or buy-in | EFA for the equipment; SBA 7(a) for larger deals | Buying into or buying out an existing practice. |
| Equipment leaseback | Up to 60 months | Cash out equipment you already own free and clear. |
You don’t have to pick just one of these financing solutions. You can put the lanes on an EFA and the OCT on a lease. Buying a whole practice? An SBA loan can take 90 days or more and needs full financials, but terms typically run 10 years, or up to 25 with real estate.
What optometry and ophthalmology equipment can you finance?
Nearly everything a practice buys, from the pretest room to the optical:
- Exam lanes: chairs and stands, manual and digital phoropters, slit lamps, and complete lane packages.
- Diagnostics: OCT, autorefractors and keratometers, and visual field analyzers.
- Retinal imaging: tabletop fundus cameras and ultra-widefield systems like Optos.
- The lab: patternless lens edgers, tracers and finishing equipment.
- The optical and the office: dispensary build-outs, EHR and practice software.
- A whole practice: new office build-outs and practice acquisitions.
Ophthalmology practices buy a lot of the same diagnostics, like OCT and visual field analyzers, and can finance that equipment the same way. And if a single item comes in under the $15,000 usual minimum, like a slit lamp or a manual phoropter, bundle it with the rest of the lane.
How much does optometry equipment cost new and used in 2026?
New refraction and pretest equipment lists for about $5,000 to $27,000 a piece. Used equipment runs from about $2,000 for an autorefractor to about $47,000 for an Optos California. New OCT and widefield imaging cost more, and most dealers only quote them on request.
| Equipment | New, listed price | Used, listed asking prices |
|---|---|---|
| OCT | Mostly quote-only; one new Zeiss Cirrus 5000 with AngioPlex listed at $60,000 | $11,500 to $43,995 |
| Optos widefield imaging | Quote-only | $25,000 to $29,950 (Daytona); $42,000 to $47,000 (California) |
| Tabletop fundus camera | $16,999 to $18,999 (Topcon TRC-NW8F Plus) | $3,475 to $17,100 |
| Visual field analyzer | $26,504 (new, never-installed Zeiss HFA3 860 from a reseller) | $4,369 to $20,000 |
| Phoropter | Manual $6,365 to $6,655; digital $11,710 to $21,925 | Varies by model and age |
| Slit lamp | $5,100 to $7,720 (Reichert Xcel) | Varies by model and age |
| Autorefractor / keratometer | $9,190 | $1,985 to $8,800 |
| Patternless lens edger | Quote-only | $3,325 to $24,500 |
| Exam chair and stand | Quote-only | $4,000 to $11,484; complete used lane packages at $16,495 and $20,425 |
Listed asking prices, not appraisals or offers. New phoropter, slit lamp and autorefractor prices are Reichert models listed by Precision Vision on October 9, 2026. All other prices are U.S.-dollar DOTmed listings dated September 13 to October 9, 2026. Used ranges cover complete units; parts-only listings, accessories, handheld devices and units listed as needing calibration or repair are left out.
Plenty of ophthalmic dealers don’t post prices for higher-end diagnostics. US Ophthalmic’s pages for a Huvitz OCT, a Huvitz edger and a Visionare refraction unit, for example, show a Request Quote button instead (US Ophthalmic). So get the written quote first.
What’s the monthly payment on optometry equipment?
On a 60-month EFA at an assumed 6.75%, every $10,000 you finance costs about $197 a month, or about $150 over 84 months. Across a practice, that looks like this:
| Example purchase | Example price | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| Used lane package plus a used autorefractor | $25,000 | About $596 over 48 months, or $492 over 60 |
| New digital phoropter, slit lamp and autorefractor | $40,000 | About $787 over 60 months |
| OCT | $60,000 | About $1,846 over 36 months, $1,181 over 60, or $898 over 84 |
| OCT, widefield camera and visual field analyzer | $100,000 | About $1,968 over 60 months, or $1,497 over 84 |
| New practice build-out: lanes, diagnostics, lab, optical and software | $250,000 | About $3,743 over 84 months |
Illustrative payments on example prices, not market quotes, at an assumed 6.75% with no money down. Your rate depends on credit, time in business, the equipment and the term. Not an offer.
An 84-month term gives you the lowest payment. But the term can’t outrun the equipment’s remaining useful life, and I’d match it to how long you’ll actually use each piece.
Can a new optometrist get financing for a first practice?
Yes, selectively. A practice under a year old is underwritten as a startup, so the lender looks at the doctor: strong personal credit (typically 700+), verifiable clinical experience, and working capital left after the purchase. A down payment is usual.
Buying into or buying out an existing practice is usually easier. A practice with a track record gives the lender real revenue to look at, so it’s a stronger file than a cold start.
For an existing practice, time in business matters. One to two years narrows the field but stays workable, and two or more opens the broadest programs and the best pricing. Opening cold? Our startup financing guide covers what to work on if you’re not there yet.
Should an optometry practice lease or buy its equipment?
Own the equipment that lasts, and think about leasing the technology that changes. Exam lanes, chairs and edgers last a decade or more, so most practices finance them on an EFA and keep them. OCT and imaging get updated every few years, and that’s where the lower payment on an FMV lease makes sense.
- Usually owned: chairs and stands, phoropters, slit lamps, edgers, and the dispensary build-out.
- Worth pricing as an FMV lease: OCT, widefield imaging and other diagnostics you’ll replace when the next model comes out.
- Used OCT or retinal camera? It’s underwritten more carefully, since software licensing and manufacturer support affect resale.
If it were my practice, I’d own the lanes and look hard at an FMV lease for the OCT. Our comparison of the $1 buyout vs. FMV lease covers what to check before you sign either one.
Ask about manufacturer promotions, too. If a discount only applies when you use the manufacturer’s own financing, compare that payment with outside financing on the full price. If the discount applies either way, take it and finance the lower price.
What do you need to apply for optometry equipment financing?
For most purchases up to $500,000, you need an equipment quote and one short application, with no tax returns or financial statements on qualifying files. It starts with a soft credit inquiry, which doesn’t affect your score.
- The quote: a distributor’s quote is enough to start on most lane packages. For a build-out, send the whole list.
- Used or private-party equipment: the seller’s details and the make, model and year. Expect a lien search, an inspection or appraisal on larger items, and funds paid straight to the seller.
- A first practice: proof of your clinical experience and the working capital you’ll have left.
- Over $500,000: a full financial package.
Most applications get a first response within 1 to 2 business hours. Clean application-only files can be approved in as little as 30 minutes, and funding can follow 24 to 48 hours after signing.
Does Section 179 apply to optometry equipment in 2026?
Usually, yes. For 2026 you can expense up to $2,560,000 of qualifying equipment, with the limit shrinking once you place more than $4,090,000 in service during the year (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32). Bonus depreciation is back at 100% for qualified property acquired and placed in service after January 19, 2025 (IRS Publication 946). New and used equipment both qualify.
Financing doesn’t change the deduction. Equipment on an EFA or a $1 buyout lease, even with nothing down, is deducted like a cash purchase if it’s placed in service by December 31. So a $40,000 set of new refraction equipment that’s up and running in December could be written off for 2026, even if you’ve made only one payment or none. On an FMV lease, you deduct the payments as rent instead.
Leave time for delivery and setup. The Section 179 year-end playbook covers the timing, and your tax advisor should confirm how it applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
Can you finance an OCT machine?
Yes, new or used, on an equipment finance agreement or a fair market value lease. A $60,000 OCT runs about $1,181 a month over 60 months at an assumed 6.75%. Used OCT units are underwritten more carefully, because software licensing and manufacturer support affect resale.
What credit score do you need for optometry equipment financing?
Many programs for established practices start around a 600 FICO, and two or more years in business opens the most programs. A practice under a year old is underwritten as a startup, which typically means 700+ personal credit, clinical experience and working capital left after the purchase.
Can I finance a whole new optometry office on one agreement?
Yes. Lanes, diagnostics, edgers, the dispensary build-out and practice software can go on one agreement, from about $15,000 to $5 million and above. Up to $500,000 can be decided on the application alone on qualifying files. Above that, expect a full financial package.
Can you finance used or private-party optometry equipment?
Yes. Expect 10% to 15% down on used equipment from a dealer and 15% to 25% on a private-party sale, with a rate roughly one to three points above new. A private sale also adds a lien search, an inspection or appraisal on larger items, and payment straight to the seller.
Do you offer ophthalmology equipment financing?
Yes. Ophthalmology practices use many of the same diagnostics as optometrists, including OCT, retinal imaging and visual field analyzers, and that equipment can be financed through the same programs.
Can I write off optometry equipment I finance?
Usually. For 2026 the Section 179 limit is $2,560,000, and equipment on an equipment finance agreement or a $1 buyout lease is deducted like a cash purchase if it’s placed in service by December 31. On a fair market value lease, you deduct the payments as rent. Confirm with your tax advisor.
See the payment on your equipment.
Set the equipment cost, term, down payment and structure in the Quote Builder, with no credit pull and no obligation. When the number works, one short application matches you with a dedicated funding professional who manages the deal from application to funding.
This article is general information about financing equipment for optometry and ophthalmology practices. It is not tax, legal, or accounting advice, or a commitment to finance. Equipment prices shown are listed asking prices, not appraisals or offers. Tax treatment depends on your contract and your business; confirm with your CPA. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting.