Sustainability continues to grow in the optical arena. More sustainable eyewear options are available than ever, with companies utilizing sustainable materials for frames, lenses and packaging as well as implementing practices that are more friendly to the environment. Consumers have responded as they do their part in committing to eyewear products with ecologically conscious manufacturing.

Eyecare professionals share their sustainability outlook, their views and those that they perceive among their patients, in 20/20 Magazine’s Environmental Sustainability Survey 2023 conducted by Jobson Optical Research.

Asked about their own priorities about employing environmentally friendly practices to make their location “green,” 73 percent of ECPs surveyed said it was either ‘Very or Somewhat Important” to them, which is an increase compared to that collective 71 percent who answered that way in the October 2022 Environmental Sustainability Survey.

When contrasted with their customers/patients’ opinions on the same question, the results also reflected an uptick in the August survey compared to the one last October. This time, 11 percent of ECPs said they thought patients felt that it was Very Important the practice support environmentally friendly practices. There was a larger increase in respondents who felt that patients saw this as Somewhat Important now—49 percent to 46 percent in the prior year survey.

That said, only 7 percent said they felt patients/customers set a Good Amount of priority on sustainable eyewear products in the latest survey, slightly less than the 9 percent they said felt that way a year ago. Nevertheless, 60 percent of the ECPs responding in August felt that there were a dedicated Few customers who make this a high priority.

All of which points to the opportunity for more education for patients, consumers and eyecare professionals as sustainability ramps up in the eyewear product arena.

This study was conducted in February 2020, November 2021, August and October 2022, and August 2023 by Jobson Optical Research. In February 2020, 350 independent ECPs participated in this study; 288 independent ECPs participated in November 2021; 174 independent ECPs participated in August 2022; 320 independent ECPs participated in October 2022; and 254 independent ECPs participated in August 2023. Respondents were offered a chance to win an amazon.com gift card for their participation.

Full results of the 20/20/Jobson Optical Research survey are posted here on the 20/20 Magazine website.

The results are contained in 20/20 Magazine’s October print/digital issue, which takes a photographic look at the latest in sustainable eyewear products.



Source: Jobson Optical Research
 Source: Jobson Optical Research




Source: Jobson Optical Research
 Source: Jobson Optical Research