A recent study by Overnight Glasses analyzed the 20 most common professions to identify the ones that need glasses the most. The study takes into account key issues, including eye-related health complaints, exposure to artificial and outdoor UV light as well as close-up work requirements. Professions were ranked based on their composite index, with those having higher scores indicating greater need for eyeglasses due to eye-related issues.
Here is the summary of the findings:
| Industry | Eye Related Issues | Composite Index |
| Software Engineers | 314.5K | 89.87 |
| Manufacturers | 12K | 87.58 |
| Miners | 20.5K | 84.48 |
| Landscapers | 540 | 79.04 |
| Construction Workers | 5.5K | 72.66 |
| Plumbers, heating, and air-conditioning contractors | 510 | 71.64 |
| Administrative Workers | 3.5K | 69.25 |
| Legal Service workers | 1.4K | 66.37 |
| Production Workers | 48.6K | 62.41 |
| Pilots | 4.2K | 57.90 |
You can access the full research findings by following this link.
The profession in which specialists need glasses the most is software engineers, with a composite score of 89.8. As a screen-dominant profession, it exposes people to artificial light that often damages the eyes. For software engineers, over 314,570 health issues were related to eyesight, which makes up 68.9% of total reports.
Manufacturers rank second in the list of professions that need glasses the most, with a score of 87.5. Over 40% of total health issues for this profession are related to eyesight. Just as software engineers, manufacturers are exposed to artificial light but close-up work requirements are less common.
Miners are third, with a composite score of 84.4. Similar to manufacturers, almost half of all reported problems are related to eyesight, with a total of 40.3%. Working in a low-light environment is also a significant factor that can increase the severity of eyesight problems.
Landscapers hold the fourth position, getting a score of 79. Eyesight problems for this profession sum up to 38%, still over a third of total health-related issues. Unlike miners or software engineers, landscapers are less exposed to artificial light but outdoor UV exposure is more prominent.
Construction workers are fifth in the ranking of professions that need glasses the most, with a score of 72.6. One of the most dangerous professions on the list, the specialists are often exposed to outdoor UV light as well as close-up work that can tire the eyes. Similar to landscapers, around 36.9% of health issues for construction workers are eye-related.
Plumbers, heating, and air-conditioning contractors follow closely with sixth place and a score of 71.6. The eye-related health issues make up 36.8% of total health issues reports, often caused by close-up work that strains the eyes.
Administrative workers hold seventh place, getting a composite score of 69.2. Similar to software engineers, administrative workers are exposed to large amounts of artificial light and eye strain but the rate of eye-related health issues is two times lower, at 33.3%.
Legal service workers rank eighth, scoring 66.3. Similar to administrative workers, their eyesight issues amount to one-third of all health reports. In addition, the specialists in this field have to deal with both artificial light exposure and eye strain because of close-up work, adding risks to potential eye issues.
Production workers are ninth, with a composite score of 62.4. With over 195,000 reported health issues among workers, 48,680 are related to eyesight problems. In the production environment, artificial light remains one of the main causes of vision impairment.
Pilots close the ranking of professions that need glasses the most with tenth place and a score of 57.9. As a line of work, requiring good eyesight and precision, it often causes eye strain and vision problems because of close-up work and artificial lighting. For pilots, eyesight health issues are reported in 20.1% of cases.
A spokesperson from Overnight Glasses commented on the study: “Modern professions increasingly demand more from our eyes, whether it’s through extended screen time in office environments or exposure to harsh conditions in outdoor work. The rise in vision-related health issues across diverse industries points to a critical need for proper eye protection and regular vision care. The intersection of digital technology with traditional work environments has created new challenges for eye health, making protective eyewear more essential than ever.”