New study identifies professions most in need of prescription eyewear
Software engineers, manufacturers, and miners were the top 3 professions in need of eyewear due to eye-related health complaints, exposure to artificial and outdoor UV light, and close-up work requirements.
Image credit: AdobeStock/olga_demina
A recent study from Overnight Glasses has found that software engineers, manufacturers, and miners lead the list of the 20 most common professions to need glasses the most.1 The study evaluated eye-related health complaints, exposure to artificial and outdoor UV light, and close-up work requirements in identifying workplaces in need of eyewear, according to a news release.
Landscapers, constructions workers, plumbers and HVAC contractors, administrative workers, pilots, legal service workers, and production workers also make up the top 10 job positions in the study.1 As for the top 3 professions, software engineers ranked first with a composite score of 89.8. A total of 314,570 health issues were related to eyesight, making up almost 70% of total reports, the release said.
With manufacturers at second, the profession’s composite score was listed at 87.5, with over 40% of total health issues for the profession related to eye sight. While both software engineers and manufacturers are both exposed to artificial light, close-up work requirements are less common in manufacturers than with software engineers. Miners had a comparable percentage of eye-related health complaints at around 40% and a composite score of 84.4. Low-light environments were cited in the release as a significant factor in eye sight complications.1
As for landscapers and construction workers, outdoor UV light was listed as 1 of the significant risk factors. Like plumbers and HVAC workers, construction work also consisting of close-up tasks that can strain the eyes. Eye strain, close-up work, and artificial light tend to impact administrative and legal service workers and pilots. Production workers also work under conditions where artificial light is common.1
Data for the report was collected from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The factors considered for eye-related health complaints were categorized into high, medium, and low.1
Reference:
Which careers have the highest risk for eye issues? The top 10 revealed. News release. Overnight Glasses. March 4, 2025. Accessed March 4, 2025.
