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While good vision care is important for everyone, older workers are more likely to need corrective lenses and are more likely to have underlying conditions that can affect vision. Because of this, having assistance for regular, comprehensive eye exams and eyewear can make a big difference in their lives, both financially and in terms of diagnosing and treating vision and other health-related issues. As an employer, you can greatly help your older employees by offering good vision care options, like that from Vision Care Direct.
Vision issues become more common
Although individuals past retirement age are most likely to experience vision problems and need corrective eyewear, the prevalence of vision problems increases dramatically between the ages of 45 and 65. Some of these changes are just part of the normal aging process. For example, symptoms that many older workers experience include increased light sensitivity, needing more light to read and difficulty with road glare. Corrective lenses can help solve or reduce these problems.
However, other conditions can be more serious and require comprehensive eye exams to catch. As an employer, it’s your job to ensure your employees are safe and have the resources they need to identify any such issues.
Some conditions are much more prevalent in older workers
Some conditions and diseases of the eye become much more common with age. Cataracts, for example, is a relatively common condition for older people and can be easily diagnosed during a comprehensive eye exam.
Other less common conditions that tend to be limited to older people include glaucoma and macular degeneration, where vision in the center part of the visual field is lost. Early diagnosis and treatment of such conditions can help improve outcomes and prevent vision loss, which will lead to healthier and more productive employees.
In addition to eye-specific conditions, there are several systemic diseases common in older people that can be diagnosed during an eye exam. For example, certain changes in the eye, which can be seen during an eye exam, can be suggestive of high blood pressure.
Another condition that can be found during an eye exam is diabetes. Changes to the retina and to the blood supply in the eye can suggest diabetes and may warrant further examination. In either case, a comprehensive eye exam is a great means of finding health problems that might otherwise be missed.
The benefits of vision care plans to you, the employer
Vision care is also a great benefit to you as an employer. It can reduce absenteeism as healthier workers need to miss less time, help on-the-job productivity and lower your health coverage costs, especially for self-funded employer plans. And, perhaps most importantly, vision care plans can help keep your older employees healthy and capable, allowing you both to continue your working relationship.
Vision Care Direct offers plans valuable to the employee and the employer
Vision Care Direct’s plans are an affordable alternative for your employees, young and old. Vision Care Direct offers options for comprehensive eye exams and great savings on a wide variety of eyewear. Because we offer many different options, you can pick one that best suits your employees.
And since we are a pre-paid plan owned by doctors and not an insurance company, our primary focus is on the health of your employees’ eyes, not on profits. We also offer flexibility in terms of where your employees can go to choose their eyewear since we don’t own any stores.
With an aging workforce, a benefits package that includes vision care is vital. Vision Care Direct offers you and your employees options that benefits you both. Your employees get great benefits, and you get to support healthier, more productive workforce. To learn more about how Vision Care Direct can help your older employees, contact us today.
