All employers can benefit from having healthy workers. Many do not realize this fact, but one of the most affordable ways to have a healthy workforce is easy to access. Although vision benefits are advantageous to both workers and employers, this coverage is often overlooked. Research shows employers receive about $70 for every $10 they invest in vision benefits.
Here are some good reasons why these benefits are helpful to employers.
Even if a worker has good vision, he or she should have regular eye exams. An exam will reveal the beginning stages of various non-visual health problems. Although most people are unaware of this, brain tumors, high blood pressure and even early signs of diabetes can be detected during an eye exam. The importance of early detection for diabetes cannot be overstated. Blurred vision is one of the earliest indicators of diabetes, and optometrists are able to identify slightly blurred vision in patients.
Exams also help identify serious vision problems earlier. Macular degeneration, retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts are a few examples of serious conditions. These problems alone cost the health care system more than $35 billion every year. To keep long-term costs down, early detection is crucial. In addition to this, lens prescriptions can change from one year to another for each person. Employees should keep current with exams to avoid strains on their eyes.
Every business has to be concerned about making money, so this point should be enough to make employers consider adding vision benefits. If workers do not have to strain their eyes or put up with headaches, they will perform better and are less likely to make expensive mistakes. In an office or accounting firm, typographical errors can cost companies a great deal of money. In factory settings, poor eyesight may lead to an employee injuring or killing someone else. Researchers point out even small vision imperfections can reduce productivity by about 20 percent. This is especially true for workers with astigmatic eye conditions.
If employees feel job satisfaction, they are less likely to quit. Comprehensive vision plans are useful for employers wanting to increase job satisfaction among workers. Studies show about eight out of ten workers were enticed enough by the idea of vision benefits to cause them to be more willing to stick with their current employers. On the other hand, workers who were not offered these benefits were three times as likely to leave in search of greener pastures.
Research shows overall, about 75 percent of employees will enroll in their company vision plans. However, of those, almost 35 percent will not use their benefits, mostly due to a lack of understanding of the options available. Employers would be wise to educate their workforce on the particulars of vision coverage by providing educational materials and/or seminars. Employees need to know just what they can expect to pay out of pocket, so they are more likely to use their vision care benefits and protect their eyes and general health.
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