Swiss eyewear essentials: Key facts about glasses in Switzerland

Glasses are indispensable for many people around the world. In Switzerland, they're just as important!

Whether you're a designer or fashion enthusiast, one of the many people who simply need glasses to see, or looking for protection for our first sense of life, eyewear has a primary role in our existence.

In this article, we offer you a detailed look at the world of eyewear in Switzerland, with 40 unique statistics and facts about our country. We'll also share these statistics with our European neighbors and the world around us.

Eyewear statistics / Switzerland

Total number of wearers:
There are around 4 million spectacle wearers in Switzerland!

Percentage of the population:
This represents 50% of the population

Percentage of children (-16):
Around 15% of children need glasses

Percentage of the elderly (+65):
80% of people over 65 wear glasses.

Percentage of myopes (distance vision):
35% of wearers are myopic

Percentage of hypermetropes (near vision):
20% of wearers are hypermetropic

Percentage with astigmatism (axis distortion):
30% of the population is astigmatic

Average age of first spectacle wearers:
The average age in Switzerland is 9 years.

Percentage of children (-16):
Around 15% of children need glasses

Prevalence of myopia in young people:
50% of young people develop myopia

Growth rate of myopia:
Over the past two decades, myopia has increased by 30% in Switzerland! Do you know about screens?...

Optical and eyewear market / Switzerland

Number of spectacles sold per year (2023):
This represents around 1 billion Swiss francs

Market share:
65% of spectacles and 35% of sunglasses

Quantity of spectacles manufactured in Switzerland:
Only 5% of eyewear is manufactured locally

Number of manufacturers in Switzerland:
We have around 50 manufacturers in Switzerland

Average price of prescription glasses:
Approx. CHF 400

Average price of sunglasses:
Approx. CHF 150

Average life span:
Approximately 2 to 3 years. Thanks to Microrep, you can keep your frames forever...

Percentage of progressive lenses:
Around 30% of lenses sold in Switzerland are progressive

Anti-reflective coating on lenses:
80% of lenses are coated in Switzerland

Eyewear materials / Switzerland

Main materials used:
Metal, acetate (quality plastic), titanium and mediocre plastics

Exotic materials:
Wood, horn, aluminum and 3D prints

Main Swiss manufacturers:
Götti, Didier Voirol, occasionally VIU

Eyewear styling in Switzerland:
There are no limits to styles in Switzerland, from the classic in supermarkets to the special in independent outlets.

Buying habits / Switzerland

Percentage of online purchases:
10% of wearers buy online

Purchases at the optician's:
90% of purchases are made at the optician's

Overall satisfaction:
90% of wearers are satisfied (a report? ...)

How many wearers have a second pair?:
About 50% have a second pair

Geographical distribution and recycling / Switzerland

Urban areas:
Around 70% of sales in urban areas

Rural areas:
Approx. 30% of sales in rural areas

Quantity of glasses recycled:
Only 15% recycled in Switzerland

Percentage donated to charity:
5% go to charity

Glasses and lenses / Switzerland

Lenses and spectacles:
75% of contact lens wearers wear glasses

Number of visits to the optometrist each year:
On average once a year!

Average wearing time per day:
Glasses are worn for 10 hours a day per wearer

Insurance and innovations / Switzerland

Percentage of purchases with insurance:
60% of glasses are purchased with insurance that partially covers them

Purchase with blue light filter (screens):
Still 20% of lenses concerned

Evolution of online sales:
Over the last five years, an increase of 10%, now slowly slowing down.

Main chains in Switzerland:
Visilab, Fielmann, Optic 2000, Misenso and independent groups such as Team 93, Dynoptic and Optic Swiss Service.

As you know, glasses are much more than a vision correction tool. They're part of the person.

In Switzerland, they are an essential accessory in the daily lives of millions of people. Whether for reasons of need, aesthetics or/and medicine, they are ultra-important. With Microrep, we're ready to give you the chance to have an eyewear that can accompany you for a long time, newly or/and forever! Whether it's a simple repair, an aesthetic need specific to who you are, whether it's a concern for durability, price, a desire to enhance or even renew your well-known and not neglected companion, Microrep is there for all your eyewear desires!

We hope these statistics and facts have shed some light on the world of eyewear in Switzerland.

For the more adventurous, here's the world of eyewear in Europe and the rest of the world! :

Eyewear statistics / EU and Worldwide

Total number of wearers:
There are around 2.5 billion wearers worldwide!

Percentage of the population:
This represents 35% of the population

Percentage of children (-16):
Around 25% of children need glasses

Percentage of the elderly (+65):
75% of people over 65 wear glasses.

Percentage of myopes (distance vision):
40% of wearers are myopic

Percentage of hypermetropes (near vision):
25% of wearers are hypermetropic

Percentage with astigmatism (axis distortion):
30% of the population is astigmatic

Average age of first spectacle wearers:
The average age is considered to be 8 years, worldwide.

Gender of spectacle wearers:
Women wear slightly more spectacles than men worldwide

Prevalence of myopia in East Asia:
Around 90% of young people in East Asia are myopic. Genetics? Screens? I'll let you find out...

Global myopia growth rate:
Since 2000, myopia has increased by 66% worldwide!

The optics and eyewear market / EU and Worldwide

Number of spectacles sold per year (2023):
That's around $140 billion

Market share:
70% are prescription glasses and 30% are sunglasses

Quantity of spectacles manufactured in China:
Around 80% of the world's eyewear is made in China

Number of manufacturers worldwide:
Over 10,000 manufacturers worldwide

Average price of prescription eyewear:
Around 200 USD

Average price of sunglasses:
Approx. 100 USD

Average life span:
Approximately 2 to 3 years. Thanks to Microrep, you can keep your frames forever...

Percentage of progressive lenses:
Approx. 20% of lenses sold worldwide

Anti-reflective coating on lenses:
70% of lenses are coated in Switzerland

Eyewear materials / EU and Worldwide

Main materials used:
Metal, acetate (quality plastic), titanium and mediocre plastics

Exotic materials:
Wood, horn, aluminum and 3D prints

Main manufacturers worldwide:
Luxottica, Safilo, Marchon, De Rigo, Marcolin, Zenni, Hoya and Rodenstock

Global eyewear styling:
Thousands of styles!

Buying habits / EU and Worldwide

Percentage of online purchases:
20% of wearers buy online

Purchases at the optician's:
80% of purchases are made at the optician's

Overall satisfaction:
85% of wearers are satisfied

How many wearers have a second pair?:
40% have a second pair

Average number of glasses (per person):
Around 2 pairs

Geographical distribution and recycling / EU and World

Developed countries:
Around 70% of sales in developed countries

Developing countries:
Around 30% of sales in developing countries

Quantity of spectacles recycled:
Around 10% recycled worldwide

Percentage donated to charity:
5% donated

Eyeglasses and contact lenses / EU and Worldwide

Lenses and spectacles:
80% of contact lens wearers wear glasses

Number of annual visits to optometrists:
On average once a year

Average wearing time per day:
10 hours per day per wearer

Insurance and innovations / EU and Worldwide

Percentage of purchases with insurance:
50% of glasses are purchased with insurance that partially covers them

Purchases with blue light filters (screens):
25% of lenses concerned

Evolution of online sales:
Over the past five years, an annual increase of 15%.

Main global chains:
Specsavers, Vision Express, Sunglass Hut, Optical express, GrandVision, Pearle Vision