Insights into how consumers are optimizing your practice.
Nov. 1, 2023
The Vision Council unveiled its latest research report, Consumer inSights Q3 2023, offering an in-depth look into U.S. consumers’ opinions and habits concerning vision correction, managed vision care, eye exams, prescription eyewear, reading glasses and plano sunglasses.
The Q3 report found responses regarding vision correction, managed vision care use, and eyeglasses, lenses and frame purchasing habits remained largely consistent with data reported in The Vision Council’s Consumer inSights Q2 and Q1 reports.
Additional findings from the third quarter of the year shed light on the average consumer exam cycle, with data showing that 40 percent of respondents had an eye exam exactly one year ago, and more than 1 in 3 reported having their last exam over a year ago. The average number of months reported by consumers between exams was 17 months. However, the median number was 12 months, which is a better estimate of typical consumer behavior as it is less influenced by outliers.
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“Seventy-nine percent of our respondents relying on some form of vision correction underlines the importance for people everywhere to prioritize an annual eye exam. With our data showing that 34 percent of consumers have not received an eye exam in the last year, there is incredible opportunity for our industry to engage these consumers and emphasize the value in completing an eye exam annually, especially if you use a form of vision correction,” Alysse Henkel, Senior Director of Market Research and Analytics at The Vision Council, stated.
Consumer inSights Q3 2023 also found that younger generations like Gen Z and Millennial respondents reported having annual exams less frequently than Gen X and Boomers. Annual exams were down 7 percent for Gen Z, and down 9 percent for Millennials from Q1 of 2023 to Q3 of 2023.
Additional Report Highlights:
- 66 percent of respondents use prescription eyewear, including glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses (67 percent in Q1 and Q2).
- Two-thirds of respondents affirmed having some type of managed vision care coverage (no change from Q1 and Q2).
- 53 percent of respondents who wear prescription glasses made an eyewear purchase in the last 12 months (57 percent in Q1; 55 percent in Q2).
- Nearly one in every three respondents (30 percent) reported using reading glasses (no change from Q1 and Q2).
- More than half, 59 percent, of respondents reported wearing plano sunglasses (62 percent in Q1; 60 percent in Q2).
The Consumer inSights Q3 2023 report sources its comprehensive data from The Vision Council’s most recent consumer survey, which engaged over 15,000 participants, representative of the U.S. adult population, during the third quarter of 2023.
To access the complete research report, navigate to The Vision Council’s Research Download Center, which offers complimentary downloads for members of The Vision Council and a paid option for non-members.
