As an eyecare provider, your choice of eyewear may influence patient perceptions, a new survey shows. In it, doctors who wear eyeglasses were seen as more professional, intelligent and surgically competent, but less empathetic. Photo: Getty Images. Click image to enlarge.

It’s a longstanding cultural stereotype that people who wear glasses are considered more intelligent or scholarly. This also goes for how eye doctors are seen by the patients and even colleagues, a new survey shows; in it, those who wore glasses were perceived by patients and other individuals as being more professional, intelligent and surgically competent. However, the results also demonstrated that eyeglasses may detract from perceived empathy.

Data was gathered through an online survey distributed within the University of Washington medical system to patients, visitors, students, faculty and staff. A total of 127 people responded, covering a broad demographic range. Participants were asked to rate randomized photos of clinicians (ophthalmologists were used), with and without eyeglasses, across various criteria. The researchers then analyzed the data using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

The findings were clear: clinicians pictured with eyeglasses were consistently rated higher in terms of professionalism and intellect, but they scored lower on empathy. This divergence suggests that while eyeglasses might bolster a doctor’s credibility in technical skills, they could inadvertently suggest a lesser degree of patient-centered soft skills. Results were recently published in Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology.

A secondary analysis indicated that sex and race did not significantly influence these perceptions, underscoring that eyeglasses alone can be a powerful influence on patient judgment. Considering that 19% of eye doctors in the sampled region of Western Washington state wear eyeglasses, the number of providers who could potentially be seen differently due to their eyewear is not insignificant.

The survey authors note in their paper on the study that “eyeglasses serve as a semi-modifiable feature in the presentation of physicians” that can potentially be used to help craft their public persona. They conclude, “Future research should involve more rigorous testing with a larger sample size and a wider variety of clinician photos, in addition to an investigation into the characteristics (e.g., shape, color) of the eyeglasses themselves.”