Americans are not very careful about eye health!
Research carried out in the United States by Transitions Optical, world leader for photochromic lens technology, appears to show that Americans do not pay too much attention to the dangerous effects of UV rays on the eyes (presumably, this is also true for Europeans).
One of the questions raised in the research (correlation between eye examinations and general health problems) showed that the eyes are almost always considered as separate organs which are important, but which carry out a specialized task that has little to do with general wellbeing.
Only 48% of the interviewees linked visits to opticians with general wellbeing, and only 24% linked them to problems in other parts of the body. In order of priority, the reasons for having an eye examination seem to be:
-Prescription for glasses that improve vision
-In-depth diagnosis due to fear of eye diseases
-Preventive visits
-Checkup as part of a more general program
The majority of the replies by interviewees seem to stem from this overall attitude.
Only 9% mentioned exposure to the sun and UV rays as being the possible cause of eye damage, compared to 82% who were concerned about skin cancer. The other damaging effects mentioned were burning and wrinkles, which came in second and third place in the worries classification, with a larger percentage of women as far as wrinkles were concerned. The percentages do not differ greatly from the previous survey carried out by Transitions Optical in 2002.
In 4 years, consumer perception of possible damage to eyes by exposure to the sun rose from 6% to 9% (and there is considerable space for growth), while the fear of skin cancer, already very high in 2002 (79%), was indicated by 82% of the interviewees.
People who wear glasses are obviously more careful about their eyes, but there is not a substantial change in the proportions. This implies that there is no significant difference in the attitude of people who wear glasses (even though it would seem logical).
The answer to the question 'how can you protect yourself from the sun' showed that 60% of those who expect to spend a lot of time outdoors wear creams, 36% wear hats, 16% wear sunglasses, 13% wear suitable clothing.
Although serious damage to the eyes is not strictly linked to the sun (unlike the frequently-mentioned skin cancer), the widespread opinion is that it can be a hazard and that protection is needed. In many cases, this is adopted especially to eliminate glare and to see better, but the sun is in any case believed to be an element of disturbance.
This non-committal attitude is also confirmed by the parameters for choosing eye protection. 30% believe that UV rays are not a problem, 19% say that adequate protection measures depend on the price (therefore not considered to be a matter of 'life or death'), while 9% believe that it depends on the time spent outdoors and do not have an opinion about them.
However, it is comforting that 40% state that they want to choose protective lenses (like photochromics) that will block out 100% of UV rays. But 60% are still not concerned about the problem compared to 40% who are more aware of the dangers (probably at various levels of intensity).
The problem does not appear to be important for children either.
Here, the 40% drops to 20%. 64% believe that UV rays are not a serious problem and that an important variable is the cost of protection. The money spent on sun protection as a whole completes the picture.
On average, Americans spend $64 a year (not just glasses, but also creams, hats, etc.), but 69% only spend $49, compared to 21% who spend between $50 and $149 and 4% who spend over $300. A vast number of people perhaps buy one pair of glasses a year, but 10% are particularly concerned about their eyes and take care of them. Eye problems connected with UV rays are less well known than those concerning the skin and the platitudes are many, even for those who regularly wear glasses.
According to the research, in America men spend more than women on eye protection and 18- to 34-year olds also spend more, closely followed by 35- to 44-year-olds.
