Most
Baby Boomers Finding It Harder To Feel Good About Their Appearance, Survey
Finds
Senior Journal
April 19, 2002
Baby
boomers are needlessly sacrificing style for things they swore they would
never wear, according to this year’s Varilux
Boomer Watch survey. Although they said they would never be seen
dead in them, more than half of boomers (52%) are wearing bifocals and
other fashion faux pas including jogging suits (19%), overalls (13%) and
“granny glasses” (11%). But just because the signs of aging are
starting to show, it doesn’t mean you have to give up looking good.
For
the second year in a row, Varilux conducted research among 1,000 baby
boomers nationwide to gain insight into the culture, attitudes, ideals and
concerns of this influential generation to reveal how they see themselves
in 2002.
Boomers
are now reaching for their bifocals because of the onset of an age-related
eye condition called presbyopia, which everybody gets eventually but,
according to Varilux Boomer Watch, most boomers (70%) don’t know
anything about. Many image-conscious boomers are now in their
forties and fifties and beginning to experience the first signs of this
harbinger of middle age. However, they may be relieved to learn
that, like wrinkles, gray hair and other signs of aging, presbyopia is
treatable and doesn’t have to mean the sacrifice of personal style.
Baby
boomers are America’s most influential generation and have seen
everything from Vietnam and Woodstock to the fall of the Berlin Wall and
the rise of Starbucks. Now, they may bear witness to another
landmark movement, as gravity and age-related health conditions take hold
and aging boomers begin to resemble their parents—if
only physically. If history is any indication, boomers – with
unprecedented access to technologically advanced solutions to the various
signs of aging – won’t just stand by and let aging take hold on their
appearance.
The Laser Surgery Misconception
Nearly
half (46%) of boomers surveyed in this year’s Varilux Boomer Watch said
they would consider having laser eye surgery. Many people believe
that any eye condition can be cured with the aid of surgery, but despite
many advances in medical science, presbyopia is still unavoidable and
incurable.
“Whether
or not you’ve had eye surgery in the past, ultimately, the gradual
affects of presbyopia will set in and you will need corrective eyewear by
your mid-forties,” said optometrist Dr. Rodney Tahran.
In the
past, presbyopia meant having to wear bifocals or carry around the kind of
reading glasses that perch on the end of your nose. For today’s
presbyopes, Varilux progressive lenses are the most
technologically-advanced solution available, allowing them to see clearly
at all distances and wear stylish frames that won’t get in the way of
active, image-conscious baby boomers’ lifestyles, or their look.
Image
is Everything
Baby
boomer, image consultant to the stars and best-selling author Diane Irons
wears Varilux lenses and recommends them to clients who are experiencing
the first signs of presbyopia but want to maintain their age-defying look.
“It
all starts with having to hold the menu or newspaper at arm’s length in
order to read the print, and the next thing you know, you’re in the
drugstore trying on the ‘granny glasses’ you once swore you’d never
wear,” says Irons. “I have built a career on helping celebrities
and my readers look and feel better, and having a way to correct
presbyopia in style is important not only for me, but for all baby boomers
who want to look and feel great. Varilux progressive lenses are a
wonderful way to do that, without the conspicuous bifocal line or the
annoying ‘jumps’ in vision found in other treatment options.”
Reduced
vision is one of the top three health concerns and one of the first signs
of aging for baby boomers, according to this year’s Varilux Boomer Watch
survey, which also found heart disease and aging at the top of the health
concern list.
This
year’s Varilux Boomer Watch survey also found that most boomers (86%)
feel it is harder than ever to feel good about their appearance, but were
not likely to consider surgical procedures like facelifts, liposuction,
implants and tummy tucks. This doesn’t necessarily mean that these
boomers have to just grin and bear the signs of aging. According to
Diane Irons, there are easy ways to look and feel better that don’t
involve cosmetic surgery.
Free
Booklet Offer: Insider Secrets
Did you
know that egg whites can be used for a temporary face lift? Or that
hemorrhoid cream gets rid of puffiness under the eyes? Irons offers
dozens of easy, age-defying image tips for boomer men and women, including
advice on avoiding some of the common age-related fashion faux pas, in a
free booklet, Boomer Image 2002, which can be requested by visiting
Varilux.com. Consumers can also request a free copy by calling
toll-free, 1-866-VARILUX.
April
is Presbyopia Awareness Month
For the
fourth year in a row, Varilux has declared the month of April
“Presbyopia Awareness Month” to educate baby boomers about this
age-related eye condition and the treatment options available to them.
“This
year, we’re excited to partner with Diane Irons to show boomers that
treating presbyopia doesn’t mean compromising their look,” says
Cynthia Lee-Ryden, director of communications for Essilor of America, the
makers of Varilux progressive lenses. “The advanced lens
technology in Varilux restores natural vision to presbyopes and allows
them to choose stylish, flattering frames. The addition of CrizalÒ
anti-reflective coating helps reduce scratches, eyestrain and headaches
while giving wearers the ability to make real eye contact, instead of
hiding their eyes behind reflections on their lenses.”
The
Vision Council of America recommends that boomers visit their eye care
professional at the onset of any changes to be tested for presbyopia, and
once each year thereafter. For more information about presbyopia or
to find an eye care professional near you, visit Varilux.com.
Editor's
Notes:
Essilor of America, Inc. (Essilor)
is a subsidiary of Paris-based Essilor International, S.A., a publicly
held company traded on the Bourse (Symbol: ESI).
Essilor is the leading
manufacturer of optical lenses in the United States and founding partner
of VisionWebSM, www.visionweb.com, which is creating the world's largest eye
care network. An industry pioneer in the development and production
of ophthalmic lenses, Essilor is the market leader in progressive,
high-index and anti-reflective coated lenses. The company
manufactures optical lenses under the Varilux®,
Crizal®, Airwear®
and Essilor brand names.
Varilux Boomer WatchÔ
is a trademark of Essilor of America, Inc.
VariluxÒ, CrizalÒ
and AirwearÒ are registered trademarks of Essilor
International, S.A.
VisionWebSM is a
service mark of VisionWeb, Inc.
Starbucks® is a registered trademark
of Starbucks Coffee Company.
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