The use of eyeglasses is becoming more common in Finland, especially among young people and men. According to the study, eyeglasses have become an established part of everyday life, and the vast majority of Finns still purchase their eyeglasses from domestic optics stores. The so-called “Temu-ing” has not caught on when it comes to purchases related to vision and eye health.
According to a recent study “Use of Eyeglasses and Eye Examinations in Finland”, continuous use of eyeglasses has risen to 55% (2022: 51%). The use of eyeglasses is still more common among the older than the younger population. Almost all 60–69-year-olds who responded to the survey use eyeglasses (97%), and their use among people under 40 has increased significantly. The increase is particularly pronounced among men, whose use of eyeglasses has increased the most in relative terms.
This development reflects the everyday nature of eyeglasses and the fact that they are now seen as a more natural part of personal style and well-being.
“Glasses are no longer just a tool for correcting vision, but part of everyday life and identity. The increased use among young people, and men in particular, reflects a change in attitude and better care for one’s own vision”, says Panu Tast, CEO of the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare Näe ry.
Optometrists are the primary vision care professionals for Finns
Today 71% of Finns (2022: 67%) primarily visit an optometrist when they have vision problems. Optometrists play a significant role in eye examinations and prescribing eyeglasses, and for most people, an optometrist is the first professional they visit.
Young people almost always visit an optics store: 76% of respondents aged 15–29 reported that their most recent eye examination was at an opticians or optometrists. In older age groups, however, the use of ophthalmologist services is more common, especially when there is a history of eye disease or eye surgery.
“Optics stores are no longer just places to buy glasses, but easily accessible, low-threshold vision and eye care service points where examinations, follow-ups, and multidisciplinary cooperation with ophthalmologists take place. When customers know they can always start with an optometrist, the entire service chain runs more smoothly, says Mr. Tast.
Brick-and-mortar stores retain their position – “Temu-ing” is not appealing
The majority of Finns still buy their eyeglasses from domestic brick-and-mortar Optics stores (89%). Glasses are usually purchased with a one-time payment, but monthly payments, i.e., leasing, have become more common: the proportion of people who have purchased their glasses this way has risen from 8% to 12%.
Of the sunglasses users who responded to the survey, 58% last purchased their sunglasses from a Finnish optics brick-and-mortar store. And 22% purchased their sunglasses from a department store or bookstore, while only 3% of respondents purchased them from a discount store’s online store (Temu, Shein).
Contact lenses have long been purchased mainly from online stores, but online stores of discount retailers (Temu, Shein) are not a significant channel of purchase: only 2% of contact lens users have purchased their contact lenses from them. Domestic optics stores continue to dominate the market – 38% of contact lenses are purchased from brick-and-mortar stores and 31% from optics online stores – while 21% are purchased from foreign online stores specializing in eyeglasses and contact lenses.
“Eyeglasses and contact lenses are directly related to eye health, and Finns value safety and expertise when purchasing them. This explains why brick-and-mortar stores are holding their own”, says Tast.
Legislation has changed – not everyone is aware of this yet
The aging population is creating long-term growth in demand for eyeglasses and eye health services. In addition, a change that came into force in August 2025, repealing the Article 16 of the Decree of Health Care Professionals, further strengthens the position of optometrists as primary professionals. With this change, eyeglass customers can start their service path with an optometrist regardless of their age or previous eye surgeries. Research shows that awareness of this possibility is not yet at a sufficient level.
“More than half of respondents do not know that they can visit an optometrist directly after eye surgery. Twenty percent of respondents believe that they cannot visit an optometrist directly after cataract, refractive error, or other eye surgery, and 31% do not know. We still have work to do in this area”, says Tast.
For further information, please contact:
Panu Tast, CEO, the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare Näe ry
tel. +358 40 542 2227, panu.tast@naery.fi
Taloustutkimus Oy (an independent full-service market research company) conducted the study “Use of Eyeglasses and Eye Examinations in Finland” on behalf of the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare Näe ry.
The aim of the study was to investigate, among other things, the use of eyeglasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses in Finland, the situations in which they are used, the frequency of purchasing glasses, the places of purchase, and the amount of money spent on glasses. The study was conducted using Taloustutkimus Oy’s internet panel. The target group was Finns over the age of 15, excluding those living in the Åland Islands. A total of 1,119 people responded to the survey by the deadline. The results have been weighted to correspond to the target group in terms of region, age, gender, and household size. The data was collected between December 9 and December 13, 2025. The margin of error for the overall results is +3.2% at a 95% confidence level.
