Designer frames have been increasing in popularity among glasses wearers in recent years. According to Key Note’s consumer survey, the proportion of glass-wearers willing to pay more for designer frames has increased from nearly 30 per cent in 2013 to almost 40 per cent in 2015.
Key Note’s 2015 Market Report Ophthalmic Goods & Services also found of those that wore glasses and/or contact lenses, nearly three quarters keep a spare pair of glasses/contact lenses as back up to the existing ones. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds said they would prefer glasses over contact lenses due to the practicality and costs, compared with a little more than a tenth that prefer contact lenses over glasses because they are more convenient and less obtrusive.
The UK market for ophthalmic goods and services has enjoyed uninterrupted growth over the past five years, supported by an expanding and ageing population, and increased sales of spectacles and contact lenses. In 2014, the market for spectacles and contact lenses is estimated to grow by 3.2 per cent, while value for sight tests (including NHS and private) rose by 2.8 per cent.
The number of people undergoing NHS sight tests in the UK has steadily increased over the past few years. Almost 24,000 out of every 100,000 people had an NHS eye test in England in 2013/2014, compared with 20,500 in 2005/2006. The UK’s ageing population is a key factor driving demand for sight tests — the number of over-60s that had NHS sight tests increased from nearly 42,000 per 100,000 to over 46,000 per 100,000 between 2005/2006 and 2013/2014.
Key Note expects the UK ophthalmic goods and services market will continue to grow over the next five years, rising by an estimated 2.5 per cent in 2015 and 2.4 per cent in 2016. Growth will be driven by the ageing population, increasing popularity of designer frames and new product development in the corrective eyewear field.
