Booming
Business
By Denis Langlois
Sharen Skelly and Caroline
Menzies are both busy baby
boomers with their own
unique senses of style.
When it comes to eyewear,
Menzies, 60, says she looks
for wild and crazy styles,
while Skelly, 57, prefers
dark frames that are stylish
yet not too trendy.
But both women agree that
the fit, quality and price of
glasses are the most important considerations.
“Comfort is key,” says
Menzies, an artist and poet,
who owns a pair of glasses
for distance and another
for using the computer.
“My lenses are thick so I
have to get a sturdy frame.”
Skelly says she looks for
durable glasses that will last
at least three years since
her prescription rarely
changes and she doesn't
have vision coverage.
“I don't mind spending
on quality as they will last
longer,” she says. “They need to be functional too because
I wear them to read and at work.”
Boomers, like Menzies and Skelly, are an important and
growing market for eyewear companies.
Three in 10 Canadians, or 9.6 million people, are considered
baby boomers – people born between 1946 and 1964,
according to the 2012 Canadian census. And most require
some form of vision correction.
Boomers today want glasses that make them look and feel
their best while being comfortable for all-day wear, according
16 Optical Prism | October 2015
to Don Coulson, vice-president
of sales and operations for
Modern Optical Canada.
“Boomers deserve great
fashion, but should never
compromise comfort,"
he says.
"Boomers today lead more
dynamic lives than seniors
of the past. They travel and
exercise more while actively
pursuing a host of interests
ranging from stitching to
boarding. Boomers fully
expect their eyewear to
support their lifestyles.”
Modern Optical recommends eyewear made of
quality, lightweight materials. Deeper silhouettes are
an essential feature for
boomers who require
bifocals, Coulson says.
“Modern Optical has a huge
selection of frames that
meets baby boomers’
eyewear criteria. We utilize
such quality materials as
titanium, TR90 memory
plastic and spring hinges to provide lightweight, durable
options. Our designs, including many with deeper silhouettes, range from classic to trendy and colour options run
the gamut from neutral to bold," he says.
Fabrizio Gamberini, chief executive officer of Marcolin
USA, says today's boomers are more influenced by current
fashions than seniors of the past, so contemporary styles
are a popular choice.
They are often looking for classic silhouettes that are
progressive-friendly. Affordability and quality are also key,
he says.