4 reasons to prioritize the eyes
October 9, 2013 6:02 PM
Employees still have an overall low awareness of the eye/overall health connection. For instance, half dont know that smoking can affect their eyes. And when asked what diseases could be identified through an eye exam, the most common response is none of the above, despite the fact that many diseases can be detected while at an early stage, when preventive steps can still be taken to avoid the disease or minimize its impact.
1. If you cant see well, you cant work well
Nearly 35% of people age 40+ report having trouble seeing print or numbers on reading materials, signs and other objects, even while wearing their glasses. Additionally, 1 in 4 employees, age 45 or older, has to take breaks to rest his or her eyes at work, because they hurt or feel tired. Unfortunately, even slightly miscorrected vision so slight an employee may not even notice can reduce productivity by up to 20%.
2. Mental health and eye health are connected
Vision problems can worsen mental decline and depression issues that are already a heavy burden on todays workforce. Consider that older employees with poor vision are 5 times more likely to develop cognitive decline without dementia than their peers with very good or excellent vision. Untreated poor vision in the elderly is also linked to actual dementia. For instance, older adults with poor vision without intervention (such as eyecare visits and cataract surgery) are almost 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimers.
3. 80% are bothered by glare
Almost all Americans say glare affects their vision outdoors, and 7 out of 10 agree that their eyes are sensitive to light. Glare caused by reflections from a lenss surface can also be present indoors, and can lead to eye fatigue. The right eyewear can help employees counter their issues with light and glare sensitivity.
4. Employees think vision benefits are important
More than 90 percent of employees agree their vision benefit will be more important to them as they age. Nearly all employees say its very important to them that their vision benefit offers the latest lens technologies.
