Survey: Employees Value Vision Care as Much as Dental, but Many are Leaving Benefits on the Table
A new survey conducted by The Harris Poll for XP Health finds that employees value vision care as much as dental, but many are confused about how to take advantage of it—even when they have vision benefits. According to the research, vision benefits and vision health are seen as valuable or very valuable by most, similar to overall physical health care.
The survey of 1,009 full-time employed adults in the US aged 25+ who are eligible to receive vision benefits from their employer was conducted online between February 3-13, 2023 by The Harris Poll. It was commissioned by XP Health, which offers a digital-first vision benefits platform, to explore key experiences, challenges, and desires for vision care among U.S. adults.
Across America, the vast majority of employed adults see the value of vision benefits, with 94 percent saying they are valuable, including 60 percent finding them to be very valuable. In fact, 82 percent say vision benefits are equally important as general medical insurance. They find vision health (75 percent very important) on par with dental (77 percent), and ahead of annual preventative screenings (69 percent), mental (66 percent), and dermatology (36 percent).
The survey also revealed that employees raise pervasive concerns over cost, the biggest barrier to taking care of vision, both for those with and without benefits. Out-of-pocket costs were cited as the most common factor preventing employees from taking care of their vision (30 percent). Despite all the money spent on premiums the majority feel like they end up paying a lot out-of-pocket for their vision care needs (55 percent). Further, 64 percent of glasses wearers agree with the statement: “I often leave my appointments with sticker shock with how much my glasses cost.”
"Despite 75 percent of employees considering vision benefits as very important, only 42 percent are very satisfied, which is the standard we want our sector to achieve," Antonio Moraes, CEO, and co-founder of XP Health, stated in a news release. “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 points to gaps between how people value vision care and what they are getting. It appears that clear and accessible information from employers about what the benefits exist and how/when to access benefits might help encourage enrollment and usage. More than two-in-five (43 percent) of employed adults with vision benefits have some difficulty understanding what’s covered, and the majority (59 percent) wish their employer provided more helpful information. More than a quarter (28 percent) say the biggest reason they don’t always use benefits to cover vision care costs is lack of clarity on what is and isn’t covered. Another 36 percent say clearer information about their coverage could prompt more people to enroll in vision benefits.
Other Survey Findings Reveal the Impact of Increased Remote Work
In another finding, the rise of remote work has exacerbated problems for American eyes. For most employed adults, screen time both overall (50 percent) and related to remote work (58 percent) has sharply increased over the past 3 years; and the majority (78 percent screen time; 63 percent remote work) believe this is having a negative impact on their vision. The majority of remote workers (70 percent) have experienced some physical symptoms of deteriorating eye health, such as headaches (40 percent) or eye irritation (40 percent) and neckaches (38 percent) and recognize that remote work demands focus and a greater importance on taking care of vision. Most say their eyes feel tired after logging off (57 percent) and sometimes they just have to take a break during the day to give their eyes a break from screens (83 percent).
But despite this, the majority (52 percent) aren’t more likely to take any extra steps to seek out eye care. Additionally, most don’t feel their employer has provided support related to employees’ vision care since working remotely (55 percent). While a majority feel their employer cares about their vision needs (62 percent), over half wish their employers would do more to support remote workers’ vision needs specifically (52 percent).