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Employers Pay High Price for Vision Disorders
Uncorrected Vision Problems Contribute to Decreased Employee Performance
A new report (PDF) released by the Vision Council of America (VCA) finds that vision problems, affecting 120 million Americans, carry a hefty price tag for American businesses. Resulting in a decrease in productivity, vision problems cost businesses an estimated $8 billion annually. The cost of vision problems also has a large impact on state economies, as the annual financial burden of vision problems exceeds one billion dollars in 17 states.
“Uncorrected vision problems are costing employers billions of dollars,” said Ed Greene, CEO of VCA. “Direct medical costs associated with vision disorders exceed similar medical expenditures for breast cancer, lung cancer and HIV, yet few Americans get regular eye exams or have vision coverage in their health plans.”
The report also shows that job-related eye injuries, computer eye strain and other vision problems are costly for employers and employees in a wide range of industries and occupations. Employees in professions ranging from engineers, construction workers, stockbrokers, software developers, to accountants and administrative assistants are among those most at risk for developing vision problems that affect their work performance.
Specific findings from the report include:
- Vision problems are the second most prevalent health problem in the country, affecting more than 120 million people.
- An estimated 11 million Americans have uncorrected vision problems, ranging from refractive errors (near- or far-sightedness) to sight-threatening diseases such as glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration.
- There are nearly 800,000 work-related eye injuries each year, 90 percent of which are preventable.
- Nearly 90 percent of those who use a computer at least three hours a day suffer vision problems associated with computer related eye strain.
- Employers gain as much as $7 for every $1 spent on vision coverage.
“I see patients everyday with vision problems that could impact their work performance if not corrected,” said ophthalmologist Elaine G. Hathaway, M.D. “In addition to refractive errors, eye injuries and computer eye strain, eye diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy can impair vision if not detected and treated early.”
For more information on safeguarding your vision visit the Eye Health 101 section on the left of the screen. To download a copy of the report click here.