Graphene, a two-dimensional allotrope of carbon composed of a single atomic layer arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice, exhibits exceptional electronic and optical properties arising from its linear energy dispersion and massless Dirac fermions. Since its experimental isolation, graphene has attracted intense research interest due to its broadband optical absorption, ultrafast carrier dynamics, high optical conductivity, and strong nonlinear optical response. The rapid and multidisciplinary growth of literature on the optical properties of graphene has resulted in a large, heterogeneous knowledge base, making it increasingly difficult to systematically identify dominant research themes, emerging trends, and knowledge structures. To address this gap, the present study performs a comprehensive keyword-based scientometric analysis of research on the optical properties of graphene. A total of 1,196 documents indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) database from January 2004 to March 2025 were analysed employing three different approaches of keyword analyses viz. keyword co- occurrence analysis, cluster analysis of thematic map and factorial analysis. Visualization and mapping were carried out using VOSviewer, while thematic evolution was examined using the Bibliometrix R package. The analysis reveals the conceptual organization of the field, highlights core and emerging research clusters, and traces the intellectual evolution of graphene optics research. The findings underscore the central role of graphene’s optical properties in enabling applications such as photodetectors, optical modulators, saturable absorbers for ultrafast lasers, transparent electrodes, plasmonic and optoelectronic devices, and broadband optical sensors. This study provides a structured overview of the research landscape and offers valuable insights for researchers and academicians aiming to guide future developments in graphene-based optical and photonic technologies. Furthermore, the dominant keyword clusters are mapped to real-world graphene-enabled products, illustrating the translational progression of fundamental research toward commercial technologies.