Rising Healthcare Costs/Systemic Disease
A vision benefit has the potential to reduce overall healthcare expenditures and employee absenteeism.
- Businesses lose $8 billion annually due to vision-related problems.
- Eye exams can uncover serious health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, neurological disorders and certain cancers.
- Employees are more likely to visit their eye doctor annually than their general physician for a physical, making the eye exam important in early detection and prevention.
- Diabetes alone cost an estimated $174 billion in 2007, including $116 billion in excess medical expenditures and $58 billion in reduced national productivity.
- Research shows that vision coverage can gain you up to $7 for every $1 you spend on it.
The eye and body are connected in so many ways. Many chronic medical conditions that impact overall health, such as diabetes and hypertension, can also take a toll on the eyes.
Watch this video on the connection between eye and overall health, to learn more.
Focus on Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious disease that impacts many parts of the body, including the eye. It can contribute to serious eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, cataract, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.
Early detection and treatment is important to minimize vision loss. In fact, more than 90 percent of severe vision loss and blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy can be prevented with proper eye care (WHO).
A comprehensive eye exam can detect these eye conditions, and even diabetes itself. In fact, since blurred vision is one of the first symptoms of diabetes and signs of diabetes are visible from changes seen in the back of the eye, an eye doctor is often the first health professional to detect the disease. Promoting regular eye exams through a vision benefit is a helpful way to keep tabs on employees' overall health, which is important, considering that nearly one quarter of diabetics don't know they have the disease.
Glare
Reflections off of objects (like a computer screen) or eyeglass lenses themselves can be distracting, reducing vision and causing eye fatigue.
UV and glare protection are especially important for diabetics because the disease may make them more prone to damage from the sun, and also more sensitive to everyday and bright light. Only 17 percent of diabetics know that the disease can make you sensitive to light, so most patients are not wearing the vision protection they need. Transitions® lenses can help to minimize glare and block UV rays, to help diabetics see more clearly and protect their eyes from long-term damage.
Watch this video about diabetes and the eyes to learn more.
Focus on Hypertension
Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension impacts the eye as well as the body. It can damage vessels that supply blood to the retina and create leakage in the eye. Without proper treatment, this can potentially lead to:
- Bleeding in the eye
- Blurred vision
- Optic nerve damage
- Blindness
Early detection of hypertension is possible through an eye exam, since the doctor can see signs of this leakage at the back of the eye.
Hypertension can develop as a side effect of diabetes. Like common diabetes medications, certain medications used to treat hypertension can cause light sensitivity. For these reasons, UV-blocking, glare-minimizing photochromic lenses are often recommended to protect the eyes.
Watch this video about hypertension and the eyes to learn more.
