Vision care product purchasing habits evaluated in The Vision Council study

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The Vision Council has released a Consumer inSights report evaluating Canadian consumers’ opinions and purchasing habits in the first half of 2024. Some key findings include the average exam cycle for patients being 21 months with a median of 14 months, which suggests that patients are seeking eye care only when a problem or issue arises, according to a news release.

“Our Consumer inSights Canada Q1 and Q2 2024 report marks The Vision Council’s first deep dive into Canadian consumer behavior,” said Alysse Henkel, vice president of Research and inSights at The Vision Council, in the release. “This expansion enables us to offer industry members valuable insights into the Canadian market, helping them better understand consumer needs and preferences for vision care products and services. Whether businesses are already operating in Canada or are looking to expand into new markets, this addition to our research portfolio aims to provide valuable findings for the industry through a more comprehensive view of the North American consumer landscape.”

The report also examines managed vision case and purchasing behavior for prescription eyewear, reading glasses, and plano sunglasses. A majority (81%) of study participants reported using a form of vision correction, which could include glasses, prescription sunglasses, reading glasses, and contact lenses. Of those participants, 87% purchased eyeglasses, lenses, or frames in person, with 13% buying online. 32% reported paying $99 or less out-of-pocket for their glasses, lenses, or frames. Another finding was that eyewear purchase cycles are lengthy with an average of 26 months and a median of 24 months. Additionally, nearly half of Canadians in the report had purchased blue light blocking glasses in the first half of 2024.¹

Other purchasing habits noted in the study include the finding that contact lens purchases were more likely to be online compared to other vision correction products at a rate of 23%. As for reading glasses, 60% of readers users reported purchasing a new pair within the last year.¹

More information garnered from the study can be found on The Vision Council’s Research Download Center website.

Reference:

1. The Vision Council releases new research exploring vision care purchasing habits of Canadian consumers. News release. The Vision Council. September 10, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://thevisioncouncil.org/blog/vision-council-releases-new-research-exploring-vision-care-purchasing-habits-canadian