Over 70% of respondents felt the benefits of "seeing" in person. A survey on the relationship between vision and well-being was conducted in conjunction with Eye Care Day on October 10th.

Background of the survey

"Eye health," which relates to "seeing and being able to see," affects not only daily life itself but also mental and physical health. People's lives have changed dramatically before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. After a period of restrictions on activities such as travel and staying at home, the value of real-world experiences is being re-recognized. In this situation, we conducted this survey to understand the reality of "seeing and being able to see" and the changes in people's awareness.

Survey Summary

• Over 70% of respondents said they realized the value of "seeing" something in person.
• The most common responses regarding things people were happy to see in real life were: "scenery seen on domestic travel," "faces of family and relatives," "fireworks and fireworks displays," and "faces of friends and acquaintances."
• The details of the experience, which made me happy to see it in person, suggest a connection between "seeing" and "physical and mental health."
• One in two people surveyed said they "are interested" in taking care of their own eyes.
• While one in two people reported having eye problems, half of them said they were not taking any action to address them.

Over 70% of respondents said they realized the value of "seeing" something in person.

When asked whether they had rediscovered the value of "seeing" things in person after the COVID-19 pandemic, over 70% of respondents answered "very much so" or "somewhat so" (Figure 1). Now that various restrictions on activities have been lifted, it can be seen that many people recognize the value of "seeing" things in person.

Figure 1

The most common responses regarding things people were happy to see in real life were: "scenery seen on domestic travel," "faces of family and relatives," "fireworks and fireworks displays," and "faces of friends and acquaintances."

When asked what they were happy to see in person, what people they saw, and what scenery they enjoyed, the most common answer was "scenery seen on domestic travel," followed by "faces of family and relatives," "fireworks and fireworks displays," and "faces of friends and acquaintances" (Figure 2).

Figure 2

The details of the experience, which made me happy to see it in person, suggest a connection between "seeing" and "physical and mental health."

When asked for details about the experiences they were happy to witness in person,

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  "Mount Fuji, which I saw on my first trip after retirement. The scenery was even more magnificent than what I'd seen in photos or on TV, and I was deeply moved."

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  "It really hit home that I was living separately from my parents, and I realized the importance of seeing them regularly and the value of sharing meals together."

• "Although we could only meet online, hearing their voices and seeing their expressions in person brought me relief and tears of joy."

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  "Watching the fireworks display, which was making a comeback after a long time, together with my grown-up son was a very moving experience."

These are some of the stories we received. From these stories, we can consider the possibility that there is a connection between "seeing" things in real life and "mental and physical health."

One in two people surveyed said they "are interested" in taking care of their own eyes.

When asked about their level of interest in their own eye care, approximately one in two people responded that they were "very interested" or "somewhat interested" (Figure 3), indicating a high level of public interest in eye care.

Figure 3

While one in two people reported having eye problems, half of them said they were not taking any action to address them.

When asked whether they had any eye-related problems, 479 people answered that they had some kind of problem. Of those, when asked whether they were taking any action to address their eye problems, about one in two answered that they were "not taking any action" to any of their problems (Figure 4). More than 40% of those answered that they "did not know how to take action and therefore did not take any action" to any of their problems, suggesting the need to provide information on how to deal with eye problems.

Figure 4

Our thoughts based on the survey results

To protect and maintain "eye health," which is linked to well-being, we believe it is essential for each individual to first take an interest in their eyes with a positive attitude. As a leading company in eye care, we will continue to provide opportunities through various proposals to help as many people as possible become aware of, think about, and take action regarding their own eyes and the eyes of their loved ones.

Reference information

• Event for Eye Care Day ①: "2023 Eye Care Show"

  Since 2020, we have been providing opportunities to encourage people to take care of their eyes through various events coinciding with Eye Care Day, and in 2023, we will be holding a drone show, aptly named the "Eye Care Show," in Osaka City.

• Event for Eye Care Day ②: "Eye Frailty Awareness Seminar in Matsuyama"

  Together with Matsuyama City in Ehime Prefecture, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, and Lady Pharmacy Co., Ltd., with whom we have a partnership agreement, we will hold a seminar to learn about "i-frailty" together with the local community.

• Sponsorship and exhibition at the "Osaka Healthcare Pavilion" of the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo).

  Taking our sponsorship of the Osaka-Kansai Expo as an opportunity, we will be exhibiting and promoting information on future eye care, focusing on the eyes of the 100-year era and protecting the eyes of children who will lead the next generation, as well as disseminating information on future medical care and healthcare.

• Our company's support activities for "seeing" both domestically and internationally.

  As a leading eye care company, we are actively working to address the eye health issues of people around the world and contribute to the "joy of seeing" across borders.

Survey Overview

• Survey method: Online questionnaire survey
• Research commissioned to: Macromill
• Implementation period: September 22nd (Fri) - September 23rd (Sat), 2023
• Survey subjects: Men and women aged 20-60 across Japan
• Number of respondents: 1,035 (Breakdown: 519 men, 516 women)