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Here is a compilation of statistics about eyecare and
eyewear. We'll be adding more, so please revisit this
page.
Computer Vision Syndrome
About 75 million Americans work on computers every
day.
— Bureau of Labor Statistics
Of these 75 million, about 70 percent have some form
of eye or vision related problem.
— American Optometric Association
Eye Conditions and Diseases
More than 1 million Americans 40 and over are blind
from eye disease. An additional 2.3 million Americans
are visually impaired.
— from a report by the National
Eye Institute & Prevent Blindness America, March
2002
Seventeen percent of Americans who are 45 or older
report some type of vision impairment even when wearing
glasses or contacts. This percentage rises with age,
to 26% of people age 75 and older.
— The Lighthouse, Inc., 1995
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading
cause of legal blindness for people over 50 in the Western
world. About 25-30 million are affected worldwide, and
this figure is projected to triple in 25 years.
— AMD Alliance International
Macular degeneration affects about 13 million Americans,
with 200,000 cases of the more serious "wet"
form diagnosed each year. Yet more than two-thirds of
Americans are unfamiliar with macular degeneration.
— Novartis Ophthalmics, 2002
More than one million Americans are at risk for going
blind from glaucoma, but they don't know it because
symptoms aren't evident until vision loss begins. Glaucoma
affects more than two million Americans; it is the second
leading cause of blindness in the U.S. African Americans
have a higher incidence of the disease, and it tends
to appear at an earlier age than in other groups.
— American Academy of Ophthalmology,
Dec. 1999
Eyewear
In 1998, 158.5 million Americans used some type of
eyewear, up from 156.6 million the previous year.
— Vision Council of America
estimate
Among U.S. Baby Boomers aged 35-49, 45.1 million wear
spectacles or contact lenses.
— Vision Council of America
estimate
Of 1,000 consumers surveyed, only 53% said they know
what polarized lenses are and what they do.
— Taylor Nofres Intersearch
Lenses sold with antireflective (AR) coating rose almost
26% from 1995 to 1998, to 10.7 million pairs.
— Jobson Optical Group Data
Base
In 1998 there were 33.2 million contact lens wearers
in the U.S., up 5.2% over 1997.
— Vision Council of America
estimate
Disposable contact lens wear rose from 39% of new fits
and refits of soft lenses in 1997 to 44% in 1998.
— Health Products Research
Specialty contact lenses (astigmatism-correcting, tinted,
multifocal) were 29.9% of new fits and refits of soft
lenses.
— Health Products Research
The Optical Professions
In 1998, about 33,000 optometrists were in practice
in the United States. — American
Optometric Association
About 15,300 ophthalmologists are in practice in the
U.S.
— American Academy of Ophthalmology
In 1998, about 67,000 opticians dispensed eyewear,
with about 30,000 certified by the American Board of
Opticianry and the National Contact Lens Examiners.
— U.S. Department of Labor
and Opticians Association of America
Refractive Surgery
U.S. laser vision correction procedures (one per eye)
are projected at 980,000 for 1999, up 104% over 1998's
480,000. For 2000, the projection is 1.5 million procedures,
up 48%.
— Market Scope, Dec. 1999
A 1998 survey indicated that 14% of Americans wearing
glasses or contacts were "very interested"
in surgery that would permanently correct their vision.
In the 20-49 age group, the figure was 20%.
— Health Products Research
Sales Figures
Retail eyewear sales in the U.S. reached $15.8 billion
in 1998, up from $13.8 billion in 1995. The figure is
projected to reach $19.5 billion in 2002. —
Jobson Optical Group Data Base
The total U.S. optical industry was worth $30.2 billion
in 1998. This includes retail eyewear sales, surgical
fees, exam fees, among other items.
— Vision Council of America,
Jobson Optical Group Data Base, American Optometric
Association
Retail sales of nonprescription sunglasses in the U.S.
fell 3% from 1997 to 1998, to $2.9 billion. However,
units sold rose from 290 million to 315 million, possibly
indicating a slight fall in price per unit.
— Sunglass Association of
America and Jobson Optical Research International
Where to Find More Info
Many of these figures and much more can be found in
the Vision Council of America's Optical Industry Compendium,
which is available for order from VICA. Call (800) 424-8422
(U.S. only) or (703) 243-1508 from outside the U.S.
Refractive surgery procedures are measured by Market
Scope, which publishes an industry newsletter called
"Refractive Market Perspectives." To subscribe,
call (314) 835-0600.
Other vision problem resources online:
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