The hub brings expert guidance to some of the most common questions about prescriptions, lenses and eye health
Sept. 24, 2026
Dr. Norman A. Saffra
GlassesUSA.com today announced the launch of The 2026 State of Glasses Wearers in America, a new national vision education and research hub developed with ophthalmologist Norman A. Saffra, MD, FAAO, principle medical advisor at GlassesUSA.com.
GlassesUSA.com conducted new research to better understand how Americans think about eyewear and vision care, and where questions or uncertainty remain. The findings pointed to a need for clear, credible guidance from an expert voice that can help consumers better understand some of the most common questions around their vision and eyewear.
The research found that nearly 70% of U.S. prescription glasses wearers surveyed continued using their glasses despite suspecting that their prescription had changed. The survey also found that 79.4% reported symptoms associated with screen use, while 56.1% said cost had caused them to delay getting new glasses.
Combining original consumer research, expert-led videos and practical written guides, The State of Glasses Wearers in America was created to make credible vision-related and eyewear information easier to understand and access. The hub addresses common questions about prescriptions, eye exams, lenses, screen-related symptoms and purchasing prescription eyewear.
The national online survey, conducted among 519 U.S. adults who wear prescription glasses daily, also found that 45.9% wait until they experience vision problems before getting an eye exam, 21.6% lack confidence that their current prescription still meets their needs and 48.9% have attributed potential vision-related symptoms to stress or tiredness.
ABOUT THE HUB
“After more than 18 years helping millions of people access prescription eyewear, we have seen how much uncertainty still exists around prescriptions, lenses and everyday vision care,” said Arie Tom, chief marketing officer at GlassesUSA.com. “We created this hub to give people one reliable place to find clear, medically grounded information that can help them better understand their vision and make more informed decisions.”
As part of GlassesUSA.com’s ongoing collaboration with Dr. Saffra to make expert vision guidance more accessible to consumers, the hub features a series of educational videos in which he addresses questions about prescription glasses, contact lens prescriptions, progressive lenses, prescription sunglasses, lens indexes and vision correction for sports. It also includes practical guides on reading an eyeglass prescription, measuring pupillary distance, choosing frame size, understanding lens materials and ordering prescription glasses online.
“For me, even a routine visit to update a glasses prescription is a chance to check the overall health of the eye,” said Dr. Saffra. “Vision can change so gradually in one eye that people don’t even notice, because the other eye compensates for it. I’ve caught early signs of eye disease that way, and sometimes signs of things going on elsewhere in the body too, like diabetes or high blood pressure. My life’s passion and work has been to preserve and restore vision. Partnering with GlassesUSA.com to educate and empower people to see clearly and protect their eyesight is a natural fit.”
Dr. Saffra is an ophthalmologist, neuro-ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon, and a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
The full research findings, expert videos and educational resources are available here.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
The survey was conducted online by GlassesUSA.com in June 2026 among 519 U.S. adults ages 18 to 80 who wear prescription glasses daily.
