Visual problems are common in the United States. According to the Vision Council, nearly 198 million Americans actively use some form of vision correction.
The figure represents more than 75 percent of the adult population. About 166.5 million adults, or nearly two of three Americans, wear prescription eyeglasses. Just under half of these individuals reported spending at least $100 on frames, indicating a solid adult vision correction market. The industry maintains a value of over $11.5 billion, thanks in part to the more than 66 million Americans who require two or more unique eyeglasses.
In addition to prescription lenses, 34.5 million individuals wear over-the-counter glasses for reading. Contact lenses are another popular form of vision correction in the US. Roughly 45 million Americans use contact lenses, with the overwhelming majority using soft contact lenses instead of rigid or stiff contacts. Contacts have grown more prevalent in recent years, up from 37 million users in 2019. The contact lens market in the US skews heavily female, with women accounting for two out of three users.
