The Nation's Mishaps as we Choose Vanity Before Vision

LONDON, May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New research shows that 45 per cent of British adults who have or should wear glasses are refusing to wear them because they want to look good.

This increases to 77 per cent for the 16-24 year old age group.

And of those who need glasses or contacts for driving, over a quarter (26.4 per cent) admit they have even driven without their specs at least once. This rises to 31 per cent of men.

The research^[i] by specialist eye hospital group Optegra Eye Health Care, also reveals that women in particular are putting their looks first with 30 per cent admitting they have avoided wearing prescription glasses several times.

The consequent mishaps caused by not wearing glasses include saying hello to the wrong person (17 per cent), buying the wrong item in the supermarket (8 per cent) and texting the wrong person (9 per cent).

One in 20 adults admit getting into the wrong car and also getting lost while driving, due to their lack of glasses.

And for women, added mishaps due to not being able to wear glasses all the time include using the wrong bottle in the shower (12 per cent) and accidentally putting make-up into their eye (15 per cent).

The situations most likely for British adults to abandon their specs are:

• going on a night out (46 per cent)
• on a date (38 per cent)
• at a wedding (35 per cent)
• a special family occasion (32 per cent)
• at work (31 per cent)

Rory Passmore, Managing Director of Optegra Eye Health Care, said: "While glasses and contact lenses can be a frustration, it is clear how much they are needed, if people are having such mishaps! And if roads are less safe, we would encourage people really to consider the safety impact of not wearing the vision correction they need."

Optegra Eye Health Care offers a range of options to correct long and short sight, from lens replacement (Clarivu^TM) and laser eye surgery to cataract removal, so there is no need for people to put up with glasses and contacts if they do not wish to.

http://www.optegra.com

i. Optegra Eye Health Care commissioned the research from Censuswide. 1,000 British adults who wear glasses and/or contact lenses were interviewed online between 29.4.16 and 3.5.16.