SURVEY RESULTS FROM TRANSITIONS OPTICAL REVEAL NEED TO EDUCATE ABOUT WOMEN’S EYE HEALTH ISSUES
Findings Showcase Gender Differences in Perceptions and Awareness of Eye Health Factors

PINELLAS PARK, Fla., March 27, 2009 – A survey conducted by Transitions Optical, Inc. measuring personal experience with eye problems, and understanding of health and environmental factors impacting healthy sight, reveals that women are significantly more likely than men to experience numerous eye conditions and vision problems. They are also more likely to identify certain health and environmental factors as ones that can negatively affect vision. These results are similar to those of an identical study Transitions conducted globally, indicating an urgent need for increased healthy sight education addressing the specific eye health needs of women.

The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive® in December 2008, among 2,207 U.S. adults, as part of a comprehensive survey that interviewed 10,574 individuals across eight countries – including Canada, Australia, Brazil and India. IPSOS Health administered the survey in France, the United Kingdom and Italy.

“The survey findings reaffirm that women have special eye health needs that make comprehensive eye care and sight-enhancing eyewear all the more essential for protecting their healthy sight,” said Cliona Curran, director, global business insights, Transitions. “Keeping some of these significant gender discrepancies in mind, women will be part of our focus going forward as Transitions takes a closer look at the unique eye health needs of specific groups and develops additional education to increase public awareness of these important issues.”

Key Findings on Healthy Sight
The following key findings were identified:
Personal Experience with Eye Problems
• Nearly three-fourths of the population report having some sort of eye condition or vision problem.
• Women were slightly more likely than men to report having any eye condition or vision problem. However, a significantly higher percentage of women than men reported trouble seeing at night, eyestrain, eye fatigue, light sensitivity, dry eye and cataract. [table 1]
• In women, as with men, the presence of eye conditions and vision problems increased in frequency along with age.

Perceptions of Gender Differences in Eye Problems
• Nearly half of all respondents incorrectly believe that both genders have the same amount of eye problems. [table 2]
• Those who did select a particular gender were more likely to choose their own.

Awareness of Health/Environmental Conditions Impacting Vision
• Cataract was the condition most widely recognized as strongly or moderately affecting one’s eyesight, followed by glare and diabetes. [table 3]
• Among women, “glare/bright light” was given the highest percentage of “strongly/moderately affects eyesight” rates, closely followed by cataract and headaches.
• Women were significantly more likely than men to identify diabetes, headaches, hormonal changes and pregnancy as conditions that can strongly or moderately affect one’s eyesight.
• Nearly half of women did not know whether medications, including oral contraceptives, can affect eyesight, and about four in 10 women did not know whether hormonal changes or pregnancy can affect eyesight.

Awareness of the Impact of Glare on Vision and Headaches

• A large majority (74-82%) of the population believes that glare can cause eyestrain and eye fatigue, can be annoying and can cause headaches. [table 4]
• Women were more likely than men to believe that glare can cause eyestrain and fatigue, as well as headaches.

Impact of Light, Glare and Other Factors on Headaches
• Nearly the whole population experiences headaches.
• Of those, three-fourths cited stress as the main cause, followed by allergies and noise. [table 5]
• More women than men say they experience headaches, and that stress, allergies, noise and hormonal changes were main causes.
Healthy Habits and Preventive Vision Wear
• Nearly the whole population says they take action to protect their eyes from glare. [table 6]
• Wearing sunglasses is the most common type of protection, followed by avoiding bright light and wearing a hat (equal rating).
• Women are more likely than men to wear sunglasses, while men are more likely than women to wear a hat.


PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH EYE PROBLEMS Table 1

Report having following eye conditions or vision problems

*Prompted M F
Cataract 4% 5%
Myopia 23% 24%
Astigmatism 18% 25%
Floaters 17% 17%
Trouble seeing at night 11% 22%
Presbyopia 10% 12%
Dry eye 9% 15%
Blurred vision 7% 10%
Eyestrain 7% 9%
Eye fatigue 9% 11%
Light sensitivity 6% 11%


PERCEPTIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EYE PROBLEMS
Table 2

Believe that men or women have more eye problems

*Prompted M F
Men have more problems 15% 5%
Women have more problems 8% 12%
Same for both genders 42% 43%
Don’t know 35% 39%


AWARENESS OF HEALTH/ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IMPACTING VISION Table 3

Awareness of health/environmental factors strongly/moderately impacting vision

*Prompted M F
Cataract 82% 80%
Diabetes 69% 74%
Headaches 64% 76%
Macular degeneration 65% 68%
Hormonal Changes 34% 40%
Pregnancy 20% 26%
Glare/bright light 79% 82%
High blood pressure 62% 60%
Stress 53% 53%
Smoking 40% 42%
Medications 31% 32%

AWARENESS OF THE IMPACT OF GLARE ON VISION AND HEADACHES Table 4

Believe the following statements about glare are true

*Prompted M F
Glare can cause eyestrain and eye fatigue 81% 83%
Glare can be annoying 80% 80%
Glare can cause headaches 71% 76%
Glare only affects vision temporarily 29% 30%
Glare is not harmful 5% 6%

IMPACT OF LIGHT, GLARE AND OTHER FACTORS ON HEADACHES Table 5

Main causes of headaches among those who experience them

*Prompted M F
Stress 73% 77%
Noise 28% 32%
Glare 22% 27%
Light 22% 27%
Allergies 36% 42%
Hormonal changes 3% 27%
Medical conditions 24% 23%
Medications 12% 13%


HEALTHY HABITS AND PREVENTIVE VISION WEAR Table 6

Actions to protect own eyes from glare

*Prompted M F
Take action 93% 93%
Wear sunglasses 76% 81%
Avoid bright light 39% 40%
Wear a hat 49% 31%
Wear photochromic lenses 22% 20%
Other 2% 3%