Safety Eyewear Market Growth & Trends

The global safety eyewear market size is expected to reach USD 5.51 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 4.4% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market growth is largely driven by stringent workplace safety regulations and increasing dependence on visual media. People who spend long hours working on laptops or computers can experience discomfort in their eyes. Spending long hours focusing on thescreen and fonts can cause eye strain and fatigue, as well as headaches. Staring at screens for long hours can also leave eyes red, causing eyes to become dry due to lack of blinking. This happens frequently, as computer screens or other digital displays reduce a person’s blink rate by as much as 50%.

According to the National Safety Council, America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate, on a daily basis, around 2,000 workers in the U.S. sustain workplace-related eye injuries that require medical treatment. However, more than 85% of eye injuries can be avoided by wearing safety eyewear. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is spreading awareness about the importance of workplace eye safety and wellness and is encouraging employers and employees to wear the right protective equipment. The association also found that workplace-related eye injuries cost more than USD 300 million a year in lost productivity, treatment, and compensation.

These injuries range from simple chemical eye burns to blunt trauma injuries, which may lead to temporary or permanent vision loss and blindness. Workers in the construction, manufacturing, and mining sectors are more prone to such injuries; about 40% of eye injuries in the workplace are in these three sectors.Non-prescription safety eyewear held the largest share in terms of revenue. This can be attributed to the fact that the majority of safety eyewear is procured for the labor workforce to prevent debris and hazardous chemicals from damaging the eyes. Non-prescription eyeglasses are mainly for individuals who can no longer read the fine print.

In addition, non-prescription sunglasses are regulated as medical devices in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. The segment dominated the industry due to the mass manufacture of safety equipment appropriate for all kinds of workplaces. The global industry is characterized by the presence of a few well-established players, such as Kimberly-Clark Corp., MCR Safety, Honeywell International Inc., and 3M Company.

Safety Eyewear Market Report Highlights

  • The non-prescription segment held the largest revenue share due to the fact that the majority of safety eyewear is procured for the labor workforce to prevent debris and hazardous chemicals from damaging the eyes
  • In 2021, North America was the largest region. The market is mainly driven by the stringent regulations related to the workers’ safety in various industrial operations
  • For instance, safety eyewear in Canada must have the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) mark to indicate that it is compliant with CSA standards
  • The industrial manufacturing segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021. The growth is attributed to the high product demand in a range of operations, such as processing, assembling, and finishing, which expose workers to dust particles, harmful chemicals, and dangerous light radiations