August is National Eye Exam Month, which makes it a spectacular time to review vision benefit offerings and communicate to employees/plan participants the importance of eye care. More than half (64%) of U.S. employers offer vision benefits (2020 Employee Benefit Survey), and regular eye exams can be an early indicator of serious and potentially costly health conditions—Problems spotted in the eye are often the first signs of disease lurking elsewhere.
A comprehensive eye examination can help diagnose these conditions:
- Aneurysm
- Brain tumor
- Cancers of blood, tissue or skin
- Diabetes
- Giant cell arteritis
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Lupus
- Thyroid disease
- Lyme disease
- Medication toxicities
- Multiple sclerosis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Sickle cell disease
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- Stroke
- Vascular disease.
Read the full article from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
For plan sponsors looking to build and retain talent, a comprehensive health plan that includes vision benefits is increasingly more important. Vision insurance typically includes coverage for glasses, contact lenses and preventive screenings.
Vision Benefits: 2020 vs. 2022
In 2020, less than half (45%) of U.S. organizations offered vision insurance on a voluntary basis, while (as mentioned above) 64% offered it as an employer-paid benefit.
Preliminary data from the 2022 Employee Benefits Survey indicates how vision benefit offerings are trending. Half (50%) offer vision insurance on a voluntary basis, and 61% offer it as employer-paid.
Anne Patterson
Associate Director of PR & Communications
The Latest from Word on Benefits:
- Neurodivergence in the Workplace: Steps for Employers
- What Health Plan Sponsors Should Know About the Emerging Mental Health Needs of Youth
- Educating DC Plan Participants for the Long Hike to Retirement
- Reducing Loneliness: 4 Action Steps for Employers
- Building and Designing for DEI: Creating Employee Benefits That Work for All
