From the editor
Canadians love sunglasses.
Last year, about 10.5 million pairs of non-prescription shades, valued at
a combined $635 million, were purchased in Canada, according to
a VisionWatch Canada report from The Vision Council.
Statistically, that means nearly one out of every three Canadians spent an
average of $61 on a new pair of plano sunnies.
On top of that, Canadians also purchased about 673,000 pairs of tinted
prescriptions lenses in 2016 and another 918,000 pairs of photochromic
lenses, the report says.
So, it’s easy to see why the sunglasses market is such an important one for
eyecare professionals to tap into.
We are excited to see marketing campaigns that encourage people to
protect their eyes from the ultraviolet rays of the sun by wearing shades.
And we fully support marketing efforts that urge people to see an eyecare
professional for help in picking out the right pair.
Unlike the online marketplace or general department stores, ECPs can take
the time to work with customers to find the perfect product and style to
meet their needs.
And speaking of styles, there are a multitude to choose from; truly a model
to match any personality.
In this issue, we showcase some of the many fashionable and functional
sunglasses that are on the market today.
We also take a look at some of the hottest sports eyewear, which also protect
the eyes from the elements.
In these pages, we find out more about a Total Sun Protection Education
Campaign in Canada by Transitions Optical. It is aimed at helping ECPs to
get the message out about the importance of wearing shades to protect
the eyes. And, it seems public education is needed.
A December 2016 survey, conducted by Wakefield Research for Transitions
Optical, found that more than half of respondents believe that sun protection
is only needed in warmer summer months. The survey also revealed that only
59 percent of Canadian eyeglass wearers use protective eyeglasses – either
regular eyeglasses with UV protection or photochromic lenses.
We hope that this campaign will result in more people visiting their ECPs.
Denis Langlois,
Editor.
10 Optical Prism | May 2017
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