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Remarkable Resilience: Prescribing Contact Lenses in a Challenging Economy examines U.S. consumer beliefs and behaviors influenced by inflationary pressures. The analysis affirms the immense value that patients place on their vision and contact lenses, correlated with strong category purchasing power and spending. It also reveals several contact lens-related behaviors that may change with personal financial challenges and advises the eye care community to proactively address these potential shifts.
Remarkable Resilience: Prescribing Contact Lenses in a Challenging Economy is part of our See Tomorrow initiative, which explores consumer perspectives surrounding issues that can influence contact lens fitting and wear. The latest work polled 2,439 U.S. adults ages 18 and older from August 9-17, 2022, with 251 active contact lens wearers answering a series of detailed questions.
When compared to other products and services, how important are contact lenses? Respondents ranked their contact lenses (84%) and eyeglasses (75%) as extremely or very important—the highest scores among 26 categories of goods and services.
Notably, 94% of contact lens wearers indicated they would make sacrifices in other areas first. In another test of perceived value, wearers said they would more than double what they’re currently paying before giving up their contacts altogether.
Intentions compared to actual behaviors can sometimes vary. So, while U.S. consumers indicated they would give up or cut back on other products or services before contact lenses if faced with economic challenges, would that actually hold true? The answer is a resounding yes.
When asked about how inflationary pressures had altered their household spending, three categories emerged as having the most significant resistance. Less than one in 10 respondents said they had made spending changes in contact lenses (8%), pet products (8%), and prescription eyeglasses (7%).
When compared to other products and services, how important are contact lenses? Respondents ranked their contact lenses (84%) and eyeglasses (75%) as extremely or very important—the highest scores among 26 categories of goods and services.
Notably, 94% of contact lens wearers indicated they would make sacrifices in other areas first. In another test of perceived value, wearers said they would more than double what they’re currently paying before giving up their contacts altogether.
The survey asked current wearers about 12 different possibilities that eye care practices could offer to improve their perceived value of contact lenses. Ranking highest—as selected by 40% of people—was offering a discount on eyeglasses for backup purposes.
Next highest were three offers already at practices’ disposal that would likely benefit from more explicit positioning as value-added products: free trials of upgraded lenses to assess if they like them, temporary lenses while their order is being fulfilled, and contact lens solution and rewetting drop samples.
With this work’s primary focus on active contact lens wearers, the findings can help practices affirm and increase the value of the category to keep consumers satisfied and encourage repurchases. Yet the survey also delved into people’s rationale for never trying contact lenses, as well as asking why people discontinued wear
Throughout the full report, several 2022 Contact Lens Institute Visionaries provide practical, peer-to-peer advice about interpreting the new data, sharing it with colleagues and coworkers, as well as immediately putting it to use to grow practice and patient success.