The Vision Council Releases Midpoint March COVID-19 Optical Impact Consumer Study to Members

Alexandria, VA – Mar. 23, 2020 – The Vision Council has released the results of the Midpoint March COVID-19 Optical Impact Consumer Study to members. Conducted by The Vision Council’s research team as part of The Vision Council’s monthly VisionWatch survey, the Midpoint March survey builds upon the study launched in February to measure consumers’ level of concern over exposure to COVID-19 and tracks trends in consumer behavior relating to eye exams and intended eyewear purchases. The report released to members compares the results of the February survey to the Midpoint March survey, which includes consumer responses through March 20. A final report summarizing March results will be available in the coming weeks.

“As we continue to closely monitor the impact of COVID-19 and the evolving eyewear and eyecare behavior of consumers in response to the pandemic, we are making every effort to keep our members informed. Knowing how rapidly this unprecedented situation is evolving and the value of real-time information, we chose to share the Midpoint March results with our members now, with the final summary of the full March study to follow,” said Ashley Mills, CEO at The Vision Council. “Furthermore, our research team has enhanced the study with more information on daily response patterns, helping us understand how consumer sentiment is changing on a daily basis. We are committed to keeping a close watch on the situation and sharing this information with our members.”

The COVID-19 Optical Impact Consumer Study surveys the measures consumers are taking to prevent exposure, changes in eye exam intent, and how respondents are prioritizing medical care and eyewear purchases. Survey questions included whether respondents are putting off medical treatments and if they intend to schedule a routine eye exam while coronavirus remains a threat.

The Midpoint March COVID-19 Optical Impact Consumer Study enhances the original February study results with new trend graphs highlighting daily response patterns for each survey question, providing insight into how consumer responses are changing on a daily basis. The breadth of the overall results has also been expanded with information on respondents with Managed Vision Care and respondents without, as well as raw data cross tabs for both the February and March data to-date. The survey will continue to be conducted through the end of the month to monitor changes in consumer sentiment.

The Vision Council members have access to a free summary report, which compares the results of the February COVID-19 Optical Impact Consumer Study, which was fielded to more than 10,000 US adults, to the results of the March COVID-19 Optical Impact Consumer Study, which was fielded to more than 5,000 US adults. The free summary report can be found here.

VisionWatch is an ongoing study that provides The Vision Council’s members with exclusive insights into the optical marketplace’s current and historical trends, retailer shares, consumer traits and demographic breakdowns. The Vision Council issues other topical research reports throughout the year that are available for purchase.

About VisionWatch
As the market measurement for the optical products and services markets, The Vision Council VisionWatch Member Analysis Report provides a quarterly insight into the market through current and historical trends, retailer shares, and information on customer traits and demographic breakdowns. VisionWatch is an ongoing study of a statistically balanced sample of 110,000+ US adult residents designed to be representative of the U.S. population 18 years of age and older.

About The Vision Council
Championing better vision for better lives, The Vision Council positions its members for success by promoting growth in the vision care industry through education, advocacy, research, consumer outreach, strategic relationship building and industry forums. Furthermore, through a partnership with Think About Your Eyes, The Vision Council supports consumer education around eyewear and eyecare.