A new Alcon Student Vision Survey shows nearly 9 in 10 parents (88%) believe their child’s vision could impact areas of their life including academic performance (64%), participation in class (58%), and confidence in the classroom (56%). Yet, more than 1 in 4 (27%) say their teen has not received a comprehensive eye exam within the last year, or ever.
The survey, conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Alcon, interviewed 1,000 US parents of teens and young adults aged 13 to 25 years.
According to Alcon, the findings also suggest many families may view school vision screenings as a substitute for comprehensive eye exams. Among parents who delayed scheduling an eye exam, 16% said they skipped it because their teen passed a school screening. Alcon noted that comprehensive eye exams remain important because they evaluate overall eye health and can help identify broader or more complex vision needs that screenings may not detect.
In addition, the survey highlights how vision issues may be quietly affecting students far beyond the classroom. More than half of parents (53%) say they have noticed emotional or behavioral impacts in children with difficulty seeing clearly, including frustration (37%), stress (27%), and low confidence (22%). Additionally, more than 1 in 5 parents (21%) worry their teen may not recognize, or speak up about, potential vision problems.
The findings also reveal a significant opportunity for education around contact lenses and teen vision correction. While 42% of children aged 13 to 25 years wear glasses, only 23% wear contact lenses, despite 70% of parents believing contact lenses could benefit their child. Parents cited improved confidence (42%), convenience (30%), sports performance (30%), and feeling better about appearance (43%) among the potential benefits.
Eyecare professionals remain one of the strongest drivers of action. Nearly half of parents (45%) say a doctor’s recommendation is their top motivator for scheduling an eye exam.
Additional findings from the survey showed that nearly 9 in 10 parents (88%) believe vision impacts major areas of their child’s life, including academic performance (64%), classroom participation (58%), and confidence in the classroom (56%). Also, two-thirds of parents (66%) say scheduling an eye exam is very or extremely important during back-to-school season yet only 67% report their child had a comprehensive eye exam within the past year. More than half of parents (58%) report delaying eye exams, citing barriers such as passing a school screening (16%), difficulty finding convenient appointment times (16%), and cost or lack of insurance coverage (15%). Routine annual scheduling (54%) is the biggest factor helping families stay on track with eye exams. Finally, 4 in 5 parents (81%) believe age 13 or older is appropriate for children to begin wearing contact lenses.
Alongside the survey, Alcon has launched its Precision Back-to-School campaign that provides a comprehensive resource hub, including patient education materials, fitting resources, guidance on communicating with Gen Z patients, and practice tools designed to support proactive contact lens conversations with teens and young adults during the back-to-school season.