With　the　advancement　of　industrial　automation,　Wireless　Sensor　Networks　(WSNs),　particularly　those　incorporating　optical　sensing　technologies,　have　shown　great　potential　in　areas　such　as　industrial　process　monitoring　and　equipment　condition　management　due　to　their　flexible　deployment,　real-time　environmental　sensing　capabilities,　and　reliable　automation　control　advantages.　This　paper　comprehensively　evaluates　the　role　of　wireless　sensor　networks,　with　emphasis　on　optical　sensing　nodes,　in　the　field　of　industrial　automation　through　literature　review,　demand　analysis,　and　analysis　of　typical　application　cases.　The　research　shows　that　compared　to　traditional　wired　systems,　wireless　sensor　networks　integrated　with　optical　sensing　elements　enable　more　flexible　layouts　and　provide　real-time,　accurate,　and　reliable　environmental　monitoring　and　process　control,　including　precise　optical　measurements　for　quality　inspection　and　process　optimization,　thereby　improving　production　efficiency,　safety,　and　resource　utilization　efficiency.　However,　this　technology　also　faces　technical　challenges　such　as　network　reliability,　optical　signal　interference,　and　system　security　that　need　to　be　overcome.　Overall,　wireless　sensor　networks　with　optical　sensing　capabilities　are　driving　industrial　automation　systems　towards　flexibility,　intelligence,　and　sustainability,　despite　some　technical　challenges　that　remain　to　be　addressed.　This　study　provides　practical　theoretical　support　and　solution　strategy　references　for　the　application　of　wireless　sensor　network　technology　with　optical　sensing　in　industrial　automation.　©　2025　SPIE.