Rationale for wearing contact lenses varies by generation, as does the appeal of technology and feature advancements, according to new research from Contact Lens Institute (CLI). The data are being presented during the 2025 American Academy of Optometry Annual Meeting, which has drawn thousands of eye care professionals, educators, scientists, and manufacturers to Boston this week.
“It’s clear that contact lens wearing motivations can differ by age. Understanding what influences Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X should help the eye care community better attract new contact lens patients and more effectively retain current patients through targeted communication and education,” said Stan Rogaski, CLI’s executive director.
The findings represent the latest installment of CLI’s See Tomorrow initiative, complementing insights shared in September surrounding generational wearing patterns. They are derived from a CLI-commissioned survey of 1,308 vision corrected respondents in the U.S. and Canada during July and August 2025 across three generations: Gen Z (ages 15-28), Millennials (ages 29-44), and Gen X (ages 45-60).
Reasons for Contact Lens Wear
Current contact lens users (n=443) were presented with 12 well-established reasons for wear, asking them to select all that applied. Gen Z indicated personal appearance (52%), freedom from glasses (47%), and a lack of visual obstruction (40%) as their top three factors. Millennials favored personal appearance (50%), followed by freedom from glasses (48%), better comfort (48%), and ease of use (48%). Gen X weighed in with freedom from glasses (54%), a lack of visual obstruction (53%), and better comfort (41%).
Of particular note were Gen Z-to-Millennial gaps in better comfort (-10%; Z: 38%, M: 48%) and ease of use (-13%; Z: 35%, M: 48%). Given recent CLI data revealing that eight percent more Millennials wear contact lenses than Gen Z, there appears to be opportunity to discuss and emphasize these upsides with younger patients to drive adoption and decrease dropout.
And while some clinicians may believe that patients choose their corrective device based on visual acuity, all three generations ranked optimal vision in the middle of the pack (Z: 34%, M: 30%, X: 29%). This suggests that highlighting contact lens lifestyle benefits while also reinforcing their optical advantages may promote uptake and retention.
Younger Generations More Inspired by Contact Lens Advancements
All survey participants (n=1,308) were asked to indicate their interest in eight broad categories of contact lens advancements. With limited exception, Gen Z and Millennials responses of being “extremely” or “very” interested were similar, favoring UV absorption/protection (Z: 52%, M: 55%), reusable contact lenses (Z: 49%, M: 50%), torics (Z: 49%, M: 49%), and contact lenses designed for digital device use (Z: 47%, M: 49%).
Conversely, Gen X responses were more muted, with percentages lower by double digits compared to the younger generations. Even when queried about multifocal contact lenses for presbyopia, 36% of Gen X reported being extremely or very interested (their highest-ranked category, tied with UV absorption) versus 41% of Millennials. This implies the need for continued outreach to Gen X about the latest generation of multifocal designs, plus the opportunity to begin discussions earlier with Millennials about presbyopia and multifocal advantages.
The difference between Gen Z and Millennial interest in reusable contact lenses (Z: 49%, M: 50%) contrasted with daily disposable / 1 day lens interest (Z: 35%, M: 41%) is also notable, possibly resulting from new category entrants, the prevalence of daily prescribing in the U.S. and Canada that makes the modality expected, and even economic considerations.
“Our See Tomorrow consumer research continued to be unique, and we have been encouraged by its growing use across optometry, ophthalmology, opticianry, and academia since 2021. The data shared at Academy and Vision Expo West are only portions of what we discovered about generational perceptions—more of which will be published in a comprehensive report later this year,” said Rogaski.
Infographics and insights from the latest See Tomorrow research, as well as access to prior research, are available at contactlensinstitute.org/resources/see-tomorrow/.
