Life in the digital world can be hard on your vision, with more time spent in front of computer, tablet and smartphone screens than ever before and eventually taking their toll. But just like good health, you can’t put a price on 20/20 eyesight, and for the world’s wealthy, for whom money is no object, no expense is being spared in the pursuit of optimal eye health.
As a result, there’s been a surge in demand for cutting-edge treatments, luxury eyewear, and personalised eye care services over recent years. Here, we take a look at how the elite are going all out in their quest for perfect vision.
High-tech eye treatments and surgeries
Advanced medical treatments and surgeries don’t come without a significant price tag, but when money doesn’t matter, they are an obvious splurge. For wearers of glasses and contact lenses, procedures like LASIK and SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) are enjoying a spike in popularity, and performed by top ophthalmologists, eliminate the need for eyewear of any kind – as well as offering quick recovery times and impressive results that can restore deteriorating vision to its former glory. For the image conscious, laser eye surgery is a great solution and a one-time process that means the daily upkeep and care that comes with wearing contact lenses can be entirely removed.
For those with more complex conditions, such as severe myopia or astigmatism, intraocular lens implants (IOLs) are making waves and the level of uptake is rising. These custom-made lenses work by replacing the eye’s natural lens to correct various vision issues and improve vision quality overall, and premium multifocal or trifocal lenses, which allow for clear vision at multiple distances, are proving particularly highly sought-after thanks to their ability to eliminate the need for reading glasses.
Age-related eye conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration are prevalent in 2024, but advanced treatments designed to correct these are also proving to be popular splurges amongst the world’s wealthy. Private clinics offering state-of-the-art technology like femtosecond lasers and advanced diagnostic imaging are able to ensure the best possible results, and for many who opt to undergo them, their vision isn’t just restored but becomes sharper and clearer than ever before.
Luxury eyewear and customised lenses
For those who prefer not to go down the route of surgery, luxury eyewear is still seen as a great option and rather than a hindrance, a way to accessorise and make an additional style statement that adds, rather than detracts from their image. These days, there’s no shortage of stylish frames and shapes to choose from, with luxury fashion houses such as Chanel, Versace and Tom Ford offering an array of beautiful options crafted from opulent precious materials like gold, titanium, and exotic woods. Many high-end brands have taken this one step further by collaborating with other renowned designers and artists to create limited-edition pieces, turning eyewear into collectible art.
Customised lenses have also gained popularity amongst the elite and offer a more discreet way to enhance eyesight in a way that is personalised to meet their individual needs. The latest and greatest lenses feature advanced coatings that offer UV protection, blue light filtering, and anti-reflective properties, making them indispensable, with some even offering adaptive technology, which adjusts to changing light conditions to ensure optimal vision in any environment. Toric contact lenses are also proving particularly popular for those with astigmatism because they combine the benefits of a spherical lens and a cylindrical lens, thus correcting the shape of the cornea and allowing them to see properly without the need for surgery.
Personalised eye care and wellness programmes
Surgeries, treatments and luxury eyewear are all excellent ways to improve the quality of eyesight, but for the world’s wealthy it’s about more than that, and overall eye health is considered just as important. Due to this, we’ve seen a rise in personalised eye care and wellness programmes over the past few years, going beyond standard check-ups to include in-depth eye exams using state-of-the-art equipment and a daily at-home eyecare routine. Detailed imaging of the retina, optic nerve, and cornea commonly features to allow for early detection of any potential issues and for those who spend significant time on digital devices and are therefore more prone to conditions like digital eye strain and computer vision syndrome, they are now seen as essential
