ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Vision Council has released its third quarter Consumer inSights report, highlighting a continued trend toward more budget-friendly eyewear purchases, as consumers buying in-person increasingly opt for spending less than $100 out-of-pocket on eyewear. This movement away from higher out-of-pocket spending on luxury eyewear options has remained consistent over the past two years and became even more pronounced in the third quarter, according to the report. Online purchases, in contrast, are not following this budget-focused trend.

Other key findings from this quarter show a decline in annual eye exams, a resurgence in online contact lens sales, and new data on out-of-pocket exam spending.

“In our latest Consumer inSights survey, we see a notable increase in budget eyewear purchases in person, underscoring that consumers are continuing to make more cost-conscious choices," said Alysse Henkel, vice president of research and inSights at The Vision Council. "Online eyewear purchases haven’t mirrored this same shift, and the slight decline in the online share of eyewear purchases we’re seeing suggests in-person shopping remains a crucial channel for consumers looking to maximize value. Understanding these consumer trends can help retailers and manufacturers tailor offerings to meet evolving preferences in the optical market.”

Key highlights for Q3 2024 included:

  • 86 percent of respondents who made a recent purchase said they bought in-person, while 14 percent said they bought their eyewear online. Online purchases of new glasses during the first three quarters of 2024 have dropped to their lowest levels in two years.

  • 56 percent of Gen Z and 58 percent of Millennial respondents reported having an exam in the past year, down eight and four percentage points, respectively, compared with the previous quarter.

  • 40 percent of contact lens purchases were made online, which is a significant increase from 33 percent in Q2.

  • 69 percent of respondents paid less than $50 out of pocket for their recent eye exam.
The Vision Council’s Consumer inSights Q3 2024 findings are the result of a survey of 12,014 adults in the United States aged 18 or older in the third quarter of 2024. Respondents are representative of the U.S. adult population. The survey included questions about vision correction, managed vision care, eye exams, prescription eyewear, reading glasses and plano sunglasses, according to the report.