We all know that most optical consumers are not into lenses and usually more interested in their frames which is understandable as the frames are what we all see and notice rather than the lenses unless the lenses are thick and ugly of course! But there is a lot more to it than just the cosmetics and fashion. I found an interesting consumer survey about this subject on Trivex’s website.
I think the results of this eyeglass wearer study confirms that optical consumers need to know a lot more about lenses and if they are educated about the advantages of superior optics they are likely to be very interested in lens options.
Here are some of the highlights:
KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS FROM PPG/TRIVEX SURVEY:
LENS MATERIAL AWARENESS: The survey found that the vast majority of adult eyeglass wearers (78%) think more about their frames than their lenses when picking out eyewear. Eighty-four percent of women were more focused on frames than lenses. The percentage of respondents that were focused more on lenses was the lowest among those 25 to 34, but then increased with age.
Almost 70 percent of respondents did not know what material their own lenses are made from.
When asked to name as many lens materials as possible, plastic was listed most frequently (by 38% of respondents), followed by glass (34%), followed by polycarbonate (6%). There were also many non-lens materials that were named, such as metal, titanium, aluminum, sand and various lens options (like Transitions, scratch coating and AR).
Over half (54%) of respondents were unaware that their choice in spectacle lens material can impact optics.
Eighty-nine percent of spectacle-lens-wearing participants assumed that good quality optics were a given in prescription lenses.
Ninety-four percent of survey participants reported that if they knew that optics were better in some materials than others, it would influence their lens choice. 
LENS MATERIAL PREFERENCE: When listing the most important attributes of an eyeglass lens, respondents most often mentioned scratch resistance (24%), followed closely by optical clarity (22%), then durability/impact resistance (16%) and light weight (15%). Thinness ranked seventh on the list (7%). When asked to pick the response that most closely described their thoughts on choosing a lens material, the majority (63%) of respondents agreed that a combination of lens attributes (optics, thinness, light weight, impact resistance, etc.) are important. Sixteen percent said that they would always choose the lens that offers the best vision, while 15 percent said that the price of the lens was their primary concern.
Seniors (65+) were much more likely than any other age group to choose the lens that offers the best vision.
Concern over price peaked in the 25 to 34 age group, and then decreased with age.
When selecting a lens material, 37 percent of survey participants reported that they were very likely to defer to the recommendation of an eyecare professional. One a scale of one to five (five being very likely), 74 percent of respondents ranked eyecare professional recommendation a three or above. Those in the 65+ age group were nearly twice as likely to defer to their eyecare professionals’ recommendation as those in the 18 to 24 and 35 to 44 age groups.
Source: Trivex Consumer Research (To read the whole survey please click on the link)
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We need materials and sales aids that make lenses more interesting! It is hard to get people excited about lenses unless you have something visual to show them.
I couldnt agree more about the findings above. Px are more interested in how they look more so than embracing the remarkable technology of digital lenses. However, recently I joined a practice that implemented a waiting room program called eyestar or eyestartv. Basically, its an updated loop (via the web) showing information specifically relevant to the practice. One of the first videos in the loop focuses on the newest types of lenses available. My px can see the difference between digital, photochromic, AR etc vs conventional lenses. If a px tells me that he/she is interested in getting a standard lens, I let them know that is OK but I then show them the video of the latest in lens technology. More often than not, I find they become convinced that this is the way to go. The cool thing about Eyestartv is that I find it more effective at appealing to px on an instinctive level compared with posters or other POP material. Hope this helps