More than 70 percent of adults in the United States wear sunglasses when the sun is too bright. More than 60 percent say they wear sunglasses specifically to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays.
Those encouraging numbers were among the findings of a recent survey commissioned by The Vision Council.
The Focused inSights 2023: Sunglasses Snapshot encompasses the results of a recent survey on adults’ sunglass usage and preferences in the U.S. The survey was conducted by Morning Consult in May. Results then were analyzed by The Vision Council inSights research team.
The Vision Council purposefully released the results of the survey ahead of National Sunglasses Day on June 27.
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“This survey underscores the value of sunglasses as a critical part of comprehensive UV protection and eyecare,” says Alysse Henkel, Senior Director of Market Research and Analytics at The Vision Council. “Wearing sunglasses is an easy and effective way to enable better vision for better lives for years to come. And, as we heard from consumers, sunglasses provide an opportunity to show your style, while staying protected and comfortable.”
National Sunglasses Day has become an important and effective way to spread the health benefits of wearing sunglasses. The Vision Council has promoted the annual affair since its inception. Those efforts seem to be paying off.
According to the survey, 7 out of 10 American adults said they wear their sunglasses when outside “always, most, or some of the time.” Other UV protections scored much lower. Respondents were less likely to wear sunscreen (56 percent) or hats (55 percent) with the same frequency.
Other Key Takeaways
The entire report is available as a free download for members of The Vision Council. There is even a paid option for non-members.
Here are a few more results curtesy of The Vision Council:
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- Although adults are least likely to wear sunglasses while playing sports (20 percent), three-in-ten (29 percent) say they own sport sunglasses—and they are most likely to wear them for running (45 percent), fishing (40 percent), and biking (36 percent)
- Adults strongly prefer sunglasses with a square (51 percent) or aviator (37 percent) shape and black/grey lenses (60 percent). However, preferences vary by gender and age.
- When choosing new sunglasses, adults say fit and comfort (82 percent), durability (74 percent), performance and functionality (74 percent), and price (73 percent) are most important.
- Greater than two thirds of parents say they would be more likely to encourage sunglass use among their children if they knew each of the following:
1. Children receive three times the annual sun exposure as adults on average (74 percent).
2. Children’s eyes let in more UV light than adults’ eyes (70 percent).
