Many people agree that future growth will definitely come from the elderly population.
Currently, about 21 million people turn 60 each year, while the number of newborns may be only 8 million or even less, showing a clear disparity in population base. For presbyopia, methods such as surgery, medication, and contact lenses are still not mature enough. Progressive lenses are currently seen as a relatively mature and effective primary solution for presbyopia.
From a micro-analysis perspective, the key factors of spectacle wearing rate, consumer spending power, and visual needs of the middle-aged and elderly are significantly favorable for the future development of progressive lenses. Especially with smartphones, frequent dynamic multi-distance visual switching has become very common, suggesting that progressive lenses are about to enter an era of explosive growth.
However, looking back over the past one or two years, there hasn't been a noticeable explosive growth in progressive lenses. Industry practitioners have asked me what might be missing. In my opinion, one core trigger point has not yet been realized, which is consumer spending awareness.
What is Consumer Spending Awareness
When faced with a need, the solution that is socially recognized or naturally accepted is consumer spending awareness.
The improvement of consumer spending power simply means that people have the money to spend. Consumer spending awareness, however, determines whether consumers are willing to spend money on something, how much they are willing to spend, and even if there is no money, as long as the consumer spending awareness is sufficient, there can still be enough market potential.
The development of the myopia control market is a good example. In the past, people's need to solve myopia was to see distant objects clearly, and wearing glasses was almost the only option. The consumer awareness was "I am nearsighted, so I go to the optician, get my eyes tested, and get a pair of glasses." If later the prescription increased and vision became unclear again, they would go back to the optician and get a new pair, and so on.
But in the past 10 years, people's needs for solving myopia have shifted to controlling the development of myopia, even accepting temporary blurriness (such as during the early stage or discontinuation of orthokeratology lens wear) in order to control it. This need has essentially become a medical one, so many parents take their children to hospitals for check-ups and fitting glasses, and the solutions have become myopia control glasses, orthokeratology lenses, atropine, etc. At this point, the consumer spending awareness has indeed changed and shifted.
How was the shift in demand and consumer awareness achieved in the myopia control market?
It was achieved through consumer education based on professional opinions. Guided and encouraged by policies, many renowned doctors have devoted themselves to parent education, school education, and consumer education in myopia prevention and control. This effort has led people to recognize that myopia is essentially a disease. Poor environmental conditions and improper visual habits can lead to the development of myopia, and high myopia can cause various severe blinding complications. However, scientific and effective prevention and treatment methods can delay its progression. Experts further explain the principles, evidence-based medical evidence, indications of each method, and release various guidelines and consensuses to guide industry practice. This, coupled with word-of-mouth promotion among consumers, has formed the current consumer awareness regarding myopia.
In the field of presbyopia, it's not hard to notice that such professional endorsement has not yet occurred, and therefore, consumer awareness formed through professional education is lacking.
The current situation is that most ophthalmologists themselves have insufficient understanding of progressive lenses and rarely mention them to patients. In the future, if doctors could experience progressive lenses themselves or with their family members, becoming wearers and actively communicating with patients, this could gradually improve their understanding. It is essential to conduct public education through appropriate channels, such as social media and online platforms, to significantly enhance consumer awareness of presbyopia and progressive lenses, thereby forming a new consumer awareness. Once consumers develop the new awareness that "presbyopia should be corrected with progressive lenses," the growth of progressive lenses can be expected in the near future.
Post time: Jan-16-2024