Employees see vision benefits as critical but often leave them on the table, survey finds

While employees value vision care benefits as much as dental care benefits, many of them are not finding the best ways to leverage such coverage. A new survey conducted by The Harris Poll for the digital-first vision benefits platform XP Health indicates that more than half of workers with vision care wish their employers provided more helpful information about vision benefits.

“Despite 75% of employees considering vision benefits as very important, only 42% are very satisfied, which is the standard we want our sector to achieve,” Antonio Moraes, CEO and co-founder of XP Health, says in a statement about the survey of more than 1,000 full-time employed adults in the United States with vision coverage. “That means millions of employees who deserve benefits they can rave about are not getting them, and it presents an opportunity and a responsibility for both providers and human resources professionals to help alleviate confusion and reduce costs to help employees access the highest quality care. With the emergence of remote work and eight-hour workdays in front of screens, the days when vision care was a simple ‘check the box benefit’ are gone.”

The survey, titled “The State of Vision Health 2023,” points to gaps between how people value vision care and what they are receiving. It appears that clear and accessible information from employers about what benefits exist, along with how and when to access those benefits, might help encourage enrollment and usage, researchers say.

Indeed, more than 2 in 5 employed adults with vision benefits have some difficulty understanding what’s covered, and the majority (59%) wish their employer provided more helpful information. More than a quarter (28%) say the biggest reason they don’t always use vision benefits is lack of coverage clarity, and another 36% say clearer information about coverage could prompt more people to enroll in vision benefits.

Other findings of the study:

• More than 80% of respondents say vision benefits are as important as general medical insurance.

• For 86% of respondents, vision benefits are an important part of their health care budget, with 68% claiming they are not likely to sacrifice their vision care due to economic uncertainty.

• Out-of-pocket costs were cited as the most common factor preventing employees from taking care of their vision (30%). Most respondents (55%) feel like they end up paying high out-of-pocket expenses for their vision care needs, and 64% of those who wear eyeglasses agree with this statement: “I often leave my appointments with sticker shock with how much my glasses cost.”

• Screen time — both overall and related to remote work — has sharply increased over the past three years, and the majority of respondents believe this is having a negative impact on their vision. Most remote workers (70%) have experienced such symptoms as headaches (40%), eye irritation (40%), and neckaches (38%).

• More than 50% of respondents don’t feel their employer has provided support related to vision care and working remotely.

Read more: The 2023 benefits landscape: Don’t skip on vision

“We need to quickly identify ways we can upgrade employee tools, experiences, and vision care to optimize employee wellness,” concludes Jill Purcell, head of dental and vision product management at insurance giant Guardian Life.