Transitions Healthy Sight Working For You

An additional advantage of vision plans is that they can help employers increase employee attraction and retention.

Plus, encouraging employees to sign up for and use a vision plan allows them to become more savvy health consumers.

Did you know that employees already recognize vision coverage as an important part of their overall health care package?

• More than 8 out of 10 consumers want vision coverage as part of their benefits package, even though only 6 out of 10 need vision correction.
• Research shows that consumers in new account-based medical plans are becoming more willing to spend money in the present to avoid adverse health effects in the future.

One key idea that should resonate with employers is that different groups within their work force may have unique vision needs. Offering a comprehensive vision benefit that meets the needs of older workers, parents, women and certain ethnicities can help employers stand out to potential hires and keep current workers healthy and satisfied with their benefits package.

Older Workers

Today's work force is continuing to get older...which means that comprehensive health benefits will be critical in helping employers retain this highly experienced sector of their employee base. Some facts you can share with employers include:

• By 2010, the number of workers aged 45-54 will increase by more than 20 percent, and the number of workers aged 55-65 will more than double.
• Retiree medical coverage is receding, forcing employees to continue working longer to maintain their valuable health benefits.
• Since eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration become more common with age, quality vision care and vision wear options will be even more important for these workers.
• As the eye ages, the lens lets less light through, which makes lens options that reduce reflections and glare especially important.
• As workers age, they will also value a vision plan that covers progressive lenses. Check out the employee newsletter on progressive lenses in the Vision Education Kit.
• Since Medicare may subsidize some medical benefits, older employees may be even more interested in ancillary benefits, such as vision.

Parents

Employees with children will appreciate a vision benefit that helps to protect their kids' healthy sight. Some key points for employers to consider are that:

• Seventy percent of learning occurs through the eyes, so overall eye health is critical for a child's development.
• Eye exams can help detect diabetes in its earlier stages, and regular eye care can help manage related eye diseases.
• Today, nearly 1 out of every 3 kids in the United States is overweight or at risk for becoming overweight – greatly contributing to diabetes becoming one of the most common chronic diseases among school-aged children. Watch a video sharing an ophthalmologist's perspective on the impact of diabetes on children's eye health.
• Kids get three times more sun exposure than adults, and are more active, so impact-resistant eyewear that blocks UV and glare is especially important to protect their eyes.

For a kids-related tool to share with employers, check out the employee newsletter on kids in the Vision Education Kit.

Ethnicities

Many employers may be unaware that several ethnicities are more likely to experience vision problems or suffer from medical conditions that can impact vision. You can play a key role in conveying to employers how especially important it is for these people to receive regular eye care and protect their eyes from damaging factors such as ultraviolet light. Some examples you can share include:

• Hispanics have a greater risk of developing cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
• They are twice as likely as whites to develop diabetes, and are also more prone to hypertension.
• They are the group least likely to have their eyes examined regularly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• African Americans are twice as likely as whites to develop diabetes, up to eight times more likely if they have preexisting hypertension.
• They are five times more likely than whites to develop glaucoma.
• Asian Americans are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the general population.
• Since Asian Americans are less likely to be obese, doctors are often late in diagnosing them as diabetic – reinforcing the importance of the eye exam for early detection.
• Because of the narrow shape of their eyes, Asian Americans are more likely to develop angle-closure glaucoma, which is caused by a rapid or sudden increase in pressure inside the eye.

For education tools to share with employers and employees, check out the e-newsletter on Hispanic eye health needs, and watch these videos on the eye health needs of Hispanic Americans, African Americans and Asian Americans.