In second of three articles on consumer attitudes to eye care, Alison Ewbank looks at eyewear-buying habits, the association between eye examinations and purchasing, and the use of alternative supply routes such as the internet
The first part of this series looked at factors that motivate consumers to visit an optical practice and showed that changes in eyesight are the key market driver for attendance for eye examination.
Research conducted by NOP on behalf of the College of Optometrists and optician also examined consumer attitudes to buying eyewear. A total of 921 face-to-face interviews were conducted with consumers aged 15+ years, at random locations around Britain. The sample was designed to be representative of all adults in Britain and weighted to bring it into line with national population profiles.
The results provide a profile of spectacle and contact lens wearers in the UK and their purchasing habits in relation to eyewear.
WHO USES VISION CORRECTION?
Two-thirds of adults in Britain currently wear glasses or contact lenses and women are more likely to be vision-corrected than men (71 per cent versus 61 per cent). Almost all those in the 55-64 and 65+ age groups (98 per cent) use vision correction, compared to about a third of those aged 15-24 (34 per cent). Social classification ABs are more likely to wear glasses or contact lenses than C1s (77 per cent vs 59 per cent).
Looking at methods of vision correction among the adult population as a whole, 62 per cent are currently using glasses and 7 per cent use contact lenses (Figure 1), a figure in line with recent industry statistics (News, April 1). The Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers estimates that the proportion of adults in the UK wearing contact lenses increased to 6.5 per cent in 2004, representing 3.21 million people.
Perhaps surprisingly, given their wide availability, only 5 per cent of consumers are using ready-reading glasses bought off-the-shelf. This is exactly the level of purchase revealed in a survey conducted for the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians in April 1990, when 5 per cent of the population were found to have bought ready-readers in the 12 months since they first became available from non-optical outlets.
Of those wearing vision correction, a high proportion are currently using glasses (93 per cent). Eleven per cent wear contact lenses, although this figure masks very wide variations with age (Figure 2); in the 25-34 age group more than one in three (37 per cent) are currently using contact lenses compared with only 1 per cent of those aged 65+. The drop in contact lens use as presbyopia takes effect is particularly evident, usage falling from 20 per cent among 35 to 44 year-olds to 6 per cent of those aged from 45-54.
One in five of the vision-corrected adult population have non-prescription sunglasses and a similar proportion (19 per cent) use prescription sunglasses. Only 7 per cent of those currently using glasses or contact lenses have ready-readers, although use is more prevalent among early presbyopes aged from 45-54 years (15 per cent).
HOW MANY PAIRS DO THEY BUY AND HOW OFTEN?
The survey provides evidence of the low rate of ownership of multiple pairs of spectacles in Britain.
Spectacle wearers in the sample were asked how many different pairs of prescription glasses they currently wore. Just over half had only one pair of glasses and only about one in 10 had more than two different pairs (Figure 3). The average overall was 1.6 pairs.
Figure 4 shows the breakdown of spectacle ownership by gender, age and social group. Men are slightly more likely than women to have two pairs of glasses rather than one. As many as three-quarters of 25 to 34-year-olds have only one pair. And multiple ownership is higher among the AB social group.
Despite the low rate of eyewear ownership, around half of all spectacle wearers say they buy a pair, on average, every two years (Figure 5). This is the same interval at which those who have their eyes tested are most likely to visit an optician. However, a third of spectacle wearers either buy glasses every five years or less or don't know how often they buy glasses. Although glasses may be regarded as a fashion item, there is evidence that the association between eye tests and spectacle dispensing remains strong. Almost all spectacle wearers (96 per cent) had had an eye test when they last bought glasses.
WHERE DO THEY BUY FROM?
There was good news for the profession when consumers were asked where they bought their glasses or contact lenses.
A high proportion of spectacle wearers (92 per cent) had purchased their last pair from an optician and none of our sample had bought these via the internet (Figure 6).
Alternative supply routes such as pharmacies, supermarkets, department stores and non-optical high-street shops accounted for very small proportions of spectacle purchases.
Similarly, 94 per cent of contact lens wearers bought their last pair of lenses from an optician and only 2 per cent purchased them via the internet.
It will be interesting to monitor internet supply, and purchasing via pharmacy and supermarkets, after the new regulations governing contact lens supply take effect.
Questions about supply routes for non-prescription sunglasses and ready-reading glasses also produced some interesting results. Nearly four out of 10 non-prescription sunglass wearers bought their last pair from either a high-street shop or a department store (Figure 7). Only 14 per cent bought these from an optician, a similar proportion to those who bought from a pharmacy. A surprisingly high proportion of ready-readers were bought from an optician (27 per cent), possibly reflecting recommendation to contact lens wearers.
Overall, these results present a mixed picture for the profession. The good news is that ready-readers sold through non-optical outlets have failed to take a significant share of the market for vision correction.
Internet sales are yet to have any great impact and, given current fears, the proportion of contact lens wearers buying their lenses over the internet is encouragingly small. At present, the perceived threat of alternative supply routes may be greater than the actual threat.
But British consumers clearly need more encouragement before they invest in multiple pairs of glasses. Although patients still associate buying new glasses with having an eye examination, this may be a disincentive to buying eyewear more regularly than they have their eyes tested.
If spectacles were truly a fashion item, seasonal trends and lifestyle would have more influence on the purchasing cycle. Sunglass sales represent another missed opportunity for the profession.
- The final part of this series, which will appear in the May 20 issue, will look at consumer attitudes to optometrists extending their role into new areas of responsibility, including therapeutic prescribing.