PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — The majority of Canadians say they are sensitive to light and glare, according to the “Light and Eyewear” 2016 survey[1] from Transitions Optical, Inc.

When asked how sensitive they were to light and glare, 71 percent of Canadians say they are sensitive, with 19 percent saying they are very sensitive. Only 7 percent are not sensitive to light and glare at all. Even if they don’t consider themselves ‘light-sensitive’ specifically, almost all Canadians are bothered by light to some extent.  In a 2015 survey, 95 percent of Canadians said that they are bothered by light; and three fourths of those bothered said these problems frequently impact their ability to do or enjoy a task at hand (“Light and Glare” 2015 survey from Transitions Optical, Inc.)[2].

One of the tasks heavily affected by light and glare is driving. The 2016 survey found that Canadians report being even more sensitive to light and glare in the car than in general. A significant 78 percent of Canadians say they are sensitive to light and glare in the car, and 26 percent say they are very sensitive.

According to the 2016 survey, 59 percent of Canadians identify bright, glaring light as damaging to the eyes – even more than UV rays (56 percent). This shows how being light sensitive has turned into a concrete concern for many Canadians and reinforces potential interest in lens options that could help.

Click HERE to read the full press release.

[1] Online survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Transitions Optical, Inc., among 1,002 Canadian adults, ages 18-69, between February 29th and March 10th, 2016.

[2] Online survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Transitions Optical, Inc., among 1,000 Canadian adults, ages 18-69. The survey included oversamples to statistically significant subgroups of Asian Canadians, African Canadians and Aboriginal Canadians and was fielded between February 20th and March 6th, 2015.