A Progressive Generation
They are 76 million strong and becoming more presbyopic by the minute. Which is why the baby boomer population is changing the face of eyecare.
The best news: They are all candidates for progressive lenses.
By Erinn Morgan
Illustrations by Gary Locke

The baby boomers are self-reliant, independent, and indulgent. This active group loves to exercise and is appearance-conscious. Advanced technology is important to them and they are more than willing to pay for it. These traits pinpoint the attitudes of the baby boom--as best as one can categorize a group of more than 75 million people spanning nearly 20 years in age range.

Born from 1946 to 1964, this powerful generation boasts qualities that make them perfect candidates for progressive lenses. They buy into technology. They want to look young. They are an active group. And they are willing to pay for the best.

"My presbyopes are divided into two groups--the baby boomers who are 35 to 50 and the seniors who are 50s and up," says Dave Ziegler, OD, of Doctors Ziegler and Leffingwell Eyecare in Milwaukee, Wis. "I talk differently to these two groups. The baby boomer group is financially independent and has money to spend on these high-end products. They are interested in innovations, technology and smart buys."

One interesting quality of baby boomers is that many ECPs report that they are not that loyal. "They demand that we be innovative and on top of our game," says Zielger. "They make us work harder, since they are more scrutinizing. They are more willing to switch brands and doctors. My parents, however, went to the same doctor year after year--even if he was not kind or convenient. They said 'This is just where we go.' Seniors are more loyal."

To win their business, dispensers must offer the most advanced products to boomers--along with an education on why these products will enhance their lifestyle. Once they have been won over to progressives (and the additional lens treatments such as AR and polarization) there will be no turning back. "As a first-time presbyope, we start them out in a progressive," says Joan Massare, an optician with Ocusight in Webster, N.Y. "If you start there, they are never going to come back in and say, 'I'd rather have a line and not be able to see as well.' They are never going to switch. That is why this is the easiest group to sell PALs to."

Presentation is key with the fickle and savvy baby boomers. That is why focusing on what is important to them will help them choose the lens and treatments that best suit their lifestyle.

HOOKED ON TECHNOLOGY

One angle in the presentation to boomers is the high-tech hook. They are a generation that appreciates advances in technology, such as new products and the Internet. In fact, the number of baby boomers and early seniors online grew by 18.4 percent last year, making them the fastest-growing Internet population. A recent Internet Report by Media Metrix shows that this group now comprises 20 percent of total online users, outpacing 18- to 24-year-olds who trail at 17.5 percent.

"They really want new technology," says Massare. "And progressives are high tech. They are better quality than what this customer's parents were wearing and they allow a wider reading area."

Eyecare professionals recommend discussing the way a progressive works and the special materials and lens treatments that are available to enhance the function. Armed with this technical knowledge, boomers can make the right choice for themselves.

It is also likely that if they understand the advanced nature of their eyecare product, they will also take better care of it. "They appreciate that it is a highly technical device," says Linda Bennett, OD, who practices in Belmont, Mass., a suburb of Boston. "We tell them, 'If you bump it and sit on it, you need to have it adjusted.' We recommend having them tuned up every six months."

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

According to the magazine American Demographics, baby boomers poured $30 billion into anti-aging products and rejuvenation services in 2002. In addition, according to a 2001 survey by the AARP, 50 percent of baby boomers are depressed that they're aging and 18 percent (one in five) admits to actively resisting it. Part of the battle: In 2002 more than half of the 3.9 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures were performed on 35- to 50-year-olds, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

This trend also means boomers will not want bifocals with lines that show their age--they will likely choose progressives to help maintain a younger look if this option is presented to them.

"We show them bifocals and say, 'This is what your parents wore,'" reports Ziegler. "We mention it as an option. And they all nod their heads in agreement. They say, 'My mom and dad wore that and I am not wearing that.' We are just getting them geared up for the idea that there is something better for them."

Thus, PALs can be presented as a more youthful option in eyewear. "People that age are receptive to progressives," says Massare. "As soon as you discuss the option of a line bifocal, they say they don't want the line. You can wear a progressive and no one knows you are wearing bifocals. Once you put that line on there, somebody across the street can tell your age. Baby boomers are paying attention to their cosmetic look. They want contemporary and high tech and there is nothing high tech about a bifocal."

ON THE RUN

The recent "Baby Boomer Report" by Del Webb found that 41 percent of baby boomers exercise several times a week or every day; 60 percent exercise at least once or twice a week. The reasons cited for their exercise habits include: To improve or maintain good health (68 percent), to feel good (59 percent), and to control weight (56 percent). Favorite exercises include walking (87 percent), bicycling (37 percent), and swimming (37 percent).

In addition, boomers partake in a variety of outdoor activities and recreation with their families. Now that products such as polycarbonate polarized sunlenses and photochromics are available in progressive lens designs, multiple pair sales are even more of a reality, if presented correctly.

Again, educating the customer on the merits of a progressive that is suited to their active needs will open this door. "Their active nature plays into their eyewear," says Ziegler. "Every baby boomer is a candidate for polarized progressive sunlenses. Most of them are keeping up with an outdoor leisure avocation. They have kids who are active and that takes up a lot of their time, too. For the most part, today's people in their 40s and 50s are pretty darn active. This impacts their need for sports eyewear and sunwear in progressive designs."

Progressives also make sense for active boomers because the field of vision is larger. "With today's fast-paced lifestyle, they don't want to be limited to only two focal distances," says Lonnie Burrow of Burrow Optical in Little Rock, Ark. "We show them the design of it and tell them about it."

PAYING FOR THE BEST

The clinching factor in the progressive presentation to boomers is that, typically, this group is willing to pay for the best products available to them if they enhance their vision and lifestyle. "They definitely have more disposable income," says Massare. "It may be more expensive, but they are not going to wear a flat top bifocal to save money."

Adds Burrow, "They are very willing to buy premium lens products. They are spending $400 and up on a good-looking frame and they don't want to have a bifocal in there. They are receptive to the prices and there is not a lot of grumbling."

Educate the customer as to why progressives cost more. The price may better suit them once they understand the technology and benefits of the lens.

"There is a price difference and we discuss that with them," says Bennett. "I present this lens option to them just like I would present to my own family. I would never consider putting my brothers or sisters into anything but a progressive."

DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP

One thing to remember is that not all boomers are alike. Though certain things may be important to the group, there is much diversity within. For example, almost one in four boomers belongs to a racial or ethnic minority, according to the Census 2000. There are 10 million black baby boomers, eight million Hispanics, three million Asians, and nearly six million multiracial or "other race" boomers in the U.S. today.

Thus, there are boomer sub-groups that have different views, attitudes, and demographics. Aware of this, many ECPs recommend customizing eyewear--and the PAL presentation--for each boomer's needs.

"Recognize what the patient does for work and their hobbies on the outside," says Rick Peterson, OD, of Absolute Vision Care, which has two offices in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. "Educate them proactively and they can participate in the process. Recognize the difference between the occupation, the person, and the activity. You have to customize if you want success. Patients form a bond with you if you satisfy their needs."