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Between new technologies and the disruptive effects of COVID-19, the expanding vision care industry is evolving at a rapid pace. Knowledge of the latest trends can be imperative if you’re a broker offering plans to employers. The ever-popular blue light glasses and new innovations in contact lenses are just a few reasons employee benefits in Oklahoma or elsewhere should include eye plans that meet their specific needs.
How do you spell relief? B L U E
The pandemic forced adjustments in everyone’s daily lives, including children. When remote work and remote learning became the norm, it meant more computer screen time. The increase can result in digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome.
Digital eye strain can cause dry eyes, neck/shoulder aches, blurry vision, and even sleep disruption. Further, the level of discomfort often increases with the amount of use of devices. In addition to taking breaks, adjusting text size, and blinking more often, adding blue light filters can help.
Blue light glasses block the blue light rays from devices. These rays have a wavelength that can be damaging to the eyes. They also ease the symptoms of digital eyestrain.
Extras, like blue light glasses, can add value to a vision plan as part of employee benefits in Oklahoma.
Contact lens evolution
The history of contact lenses dates back as far as 500 years ago. Back then, people placed a small piece of glass on the eye to reshape the cornea and improve vision. Ouch! Now, with more than 30 million of the population are wearing lenses and modern optometry, thankfully there are more options than ever.
Plan participants can choose light-adaptive lenses, also known as Transitions; multi-focal lenses; or even soft lenses to slow the progression of myopia in children. Optometrists like to stay updated on the latest technology and trends to serve the needs of patients.
The constant expansion in contact lens technology makes lenses more comfortable and precise and unfortunately more expensive. With better visual performance available, the demand for plans that cover contact lenses has increased. Including higher contact lens allowance in plans for employee benefits in Oklahoma is more important now than ever before. Vision Care Direct can provide a vision plan giving employees access to local eye doctors who know which contact lenses are ideal for them and can build a vision plan with a higher contact lens allowance than the frame allowance. As you know typically, the Frame and Contact Lens Allowances are the same, but our plan design flexibility allows us to create one allowance for frames and a different allowance for contacts. We even allow employees to stack plans together so they can buy two plans, one that covers the exam, frame and lenses and a second plan that only covers contacts so they can get both in the same year with pretax savings.
Top-notch service for employee benefits in Oklahoma and beyond
The eye care industry has been affected by delays and shortages in local manufacturing of lenses and frame imports. Vision Care Direct can offer a plan that lets employees access a strong network of local eye care professionals.
In addition to amazing benefits, Vision Care Direct provides elite customer support. The art of customer service is important to us. Occasionally, a plan participant needs additional information or is having issues. They can speak to a representative on the phone who cares about them and can help them make the most of their employee benefits.
