Vision
plan ROI estimator

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Vision
plan ROI estimator

Benefits are more competitive than ever and you’re looking for value. Vision care plans that cover comprehensive eye exams and quality eyewear can reduce medical costs and boost employee productivity.

Learn the savings possible for your workforce.

Understand employee
eye health conditions

Calculate
avoidable costs

Learn potential
return on investment

Get started

Get
started

Step one: Location, size, and vision care investment

Choose state
Annual cost

Calculations are based on U.S. census data, which varies by state, along with workforce size and average annual spend per employee on a vision benefit.

Cost choices are based on a “premium” level plan that covers yearly exams and coverage of or discounts on lens enhancements, such as photochromics and anti-reflective lenses, to reduce glare and enhance vision.

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Get
started

Step two: Demographics

Age 18-44
Age 45-64
Age 65+
Age 18-44 Age 45-64 Age 65+ Total
Total 0 0 0 16
White males 16
White females 16
Black males 16
Black females 16
Asian males 16
Asian females 16
Hispanic males 16
Hispanic females 16
"Other" males 16
"Other" females 16
Age 18-44
Age 45-64
Age 65+

Does this look like your workforce? If not, simply enter the right numbers. Even an educated guess will help the calculator better estimate your employees’ health conditions.

Submit data Reset data Previous

Systemic
disease
Prevalence and savings

Eye
Disease
prevalence and savings

Vision
problems
prevalence and savings

Executive
summary

Estimated savings possible through a premium vision plan.

Prediabetes
Undiagnosed diabetes
Undiagnosed high
blood pressure
Total savings possible
Cataract
Diabetic retinopathy
Elevated intraocular pressure
Glaucoma
Total savings possible
Trouble seeing up-close
Trouble seeing far away
Eyestrain and fatigue
Debilitating headaches from light and glare
Total savings possible
Systemic disease
Prediabetes
Undiagnosed diabetes
Undiagnosed high blood pressure
Total savings possible
Eye disease
Cataract
Diabetic retinopathy
Elevated intraocular pressure
Glaucoma
Total savings possible
Vision problems
Trouble seeing up-close
Trouble seeing far away
Eyestrain and fatigue
Debilitating headaches from light and glare
Total savings possible
Executive summary Eye disease Vision problems Systemic disease Eye disease Vision problems Adjust data Executive summary Start over

Based on your input

Your workforce is likely to have the following number of employees with these systemic diseases – and could see the corresponding cost avoidance with a premium vision benefit. To learn more about systemic diseases, click the tabs to the left.

$1k investment
1employees impacted
$10 medical savings
$1.5kProductivity gains
$1kEstimated total savings
Savings assume that conditions are detected early through an eye exam and preventive measures are taken.

A comprehensive eye exam can provide early detection of many systemic diseases, so they can be diagnosed and treated earlier – helping reduce medical costs and productivity loss down the road.

Americans are more likely to see their eye care professional than their general healthcare provider for a physical, so offering vision coverage is a helpful way to keep tabs on an employee’s overall health.

Total for systemic disease

Learn how many of your employees are likely to have each systemic disease, which can be detected through an eye exam. Discover the cost avoidance possible with a premium vision benefit. Click on "Eye disease" to continue.

A comprehensive eye exam can provide early detection of many systemic diseases, so they can be diagnosed and treated earlier – helping reduce medical costs and productivity loss down the road.

Americans are more likely to see their eye care professional than their general healthcare provider for a physical, so offering vision coverage is a helpful way to keep tabs on an employee’s overall health.

Click on the individual systemic diseases for more detail, or click on "Eye disease" to continue.

Prediabetes

Blurred vision is one of the first signs of diabetes, so eye care professionals are often the first health care providers to see patients in the “prediabetic” state, while lifestyle changes can still be made to keep the disease from progressing.

Of course, not all prediabetic employees diagnosed by their eye doctor will take steps to manage their health condition. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 76% of people who learn they are prediabetic take steps such as moderate weight loss and regular exercise to reduce their risk of developing the disease. Taking such steps can reduce the incidence of diabetes by 34%, according to a study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.

Based on this, the calculator assumes that 26% (.76 x .34) of your employees diagnosed as prediabetic by their eye doctor will take steps to avoid the disease and be successful -- thereby also avoiding the staggering medical costs and productivity loss that go with it.

Prevalence rates of prediabetes are based on data from the CDC, medical costs associated with diabetes are based on the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, and productivity loss totals are based on data from the American Diabetes Association. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Undiagnosed diabetes

Of the 29.1 million people in the U.S. with diabetes, 27.8% are undiagnosed, according to the CDC. Blurry vision is one of the first signs of diabetes, so eye doctors are often the first health professionals to diagnose the disease, and play an important role in encouraging the patient's overall management of the disease.

The calculator assumes that employees with undiagnosed diabetes who have a premium vision benefit will be seeing their eye doctor regularly, so will be diagnosed with the disease and encouraged to keep their diabetes under control. Better managing diabetes can lower health care costs by a minimum of $804 per person per year, according to a study published in the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy.

People with diabetes should see their eye doctor regularly to keep tabs on eye health issues that can be caused or worsened by the disease, including diabetic retinopathy and cataract. People with diabetes are also more susceptible to damage from ultraviolet (UV) rays and are more sensitive to glare – making UV- and glare-blocking eyewear important. Cost savings from early intervention for cataract, diabetic retinopathy and issues with light and glare are addressed in later sections of the calculator.

Prevalence rates of diabetes are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Undiagnosed high blood pressure

Eye doctors can see evidence of high blood pressure in the eye by observing the thickening of blood vessels there, and looking for other signs of damage. Because of this, high blood pressure can be detected through an eye exam, and employees can be encouraged to take steps to manage the disease overall, helping reduce medical costs and lost productivity. This avenue to diagnosis is important for HR managers to consider for employees, since approximately one in four males and one in six females don’t know they have it (BMJ Open).

Even if diagnosed, not all employees with high blood pressure will be successful in controlling it. According to the American Heart Association, 54% of adults with high blood pressure are able to get it under control.

Given this, the calculator assumes that your employees with undiagnosed high blood pressure will be seeing their eye doctor regularly and will be diagnosed and encouraged to manage their disease. Assuming that 54% will be successful, the calculator projects that, for these employees, the most extreme health-related costs (emergency room visits) related to high blood pressure can be avoided and productivity can be improved.

Prevalence rates of undiagnosed high blood pressure are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical costs associated with the emergency room visits related to high blood pressure are based on the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Productivity loss totals are based on information from an American Health and Drugs Benefits study. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Total for eye disease

Learn how many of your employees are likely to have each eye disease. Discover the cost avoidance possible with a premium vision benefit. Click on "Vision Problems" to continue.

Adult eye diseases can lead to serious vision loss, high medical costs and lost productivity. Comprehensive eye exams can help detect these diseases in their early stages. Since several eye diseases can progress before changes in vision are noticeable, it is important to see an eye doctor regularly – not just when experiencing a vision problem. By that time, it could be too late to reverse damage.

Eye diseases are on the rise – especially with the aging population in the workforce – but regular eye exams can help reduce the chance of severe vision loss and the steep costs that go with it.

Click on the individual systemic diseases for more detail, or click on "Vision problems" to continue.

Cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens. As your employees age, they will be at heightened risk for cataracts, which can impact their performance at work. Exposure to UV can contribute the development of cataracts – making UV-blocking eyewear important for at-risk employees.

The calculator assumes that, through a premium vision plan, employees with cataract will have access to regular eye care to ensure they are being advised on their surgical options, and that they are wearing the right eyewear (UV- and glare-blocking) to delay progression of cataract and maximize available vision. Research shows that an annual cost avoidance of $770 is possible with appropriate treatment of cataract.

Prevalence rates of cataract are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. When blood sugar remains elevated, it can cause blood vessels of the retina in the eye to swell and leak fluid, or for abnormal new blood vessels to grow on the surface of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, necessary for good vision. Damage to the retina can begin before people notice a change to their vision – so regular visits to the eye doctor are important for early detection and treatment to avoid developing more advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy and the vision loss that comes with it.

The calculator assumes your diabetic employees have access to regular eye care through a premium vision benefit, and will avoid the medical costs associated with diabetic eye disease. Diabetes is responsible for 21% of all ophthalmic health care expenditures, according to the ADA. Healthcare costs for diabetic retinopathy referenced in the calculator were determined by taking 21% of the average yearly per person costs for all ophthalmic disorders, based on the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

Prevalence rates of diabetic retinopathy are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Elevated intraocular pressure

Elevated intraocular pressure can be one of the first symptoms of glaucoma and can be detected through routine tests performed during an eye exam. With treatments as simple as eye drops, pressure can be kept from increasing further and leading to glaucoma.

The calculator assumes your workforce could avoid the medical costs associated with glaucoma (except for maintenance drugs) through early detection of elevated intraocular pressure.

Prevalence rates of elevated intraocular pressure are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical costs associated with glaucoma are based on the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases caused by damage to the optic nerve. It leads to loss of peripheral or side vision that can eventually progress to blindness. Glaucoma cannot be prevented – but early detection can help control the disease and medical costs. Proper management and treatments as simple as using drops can help keep glaucoma from advancing.

Research shows a potential savings of $857 in medical costs annually through early detection and treatment of glaucoma.

Prevalence rates of glaucoma are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Total for vision problems

Learn how many of your employees are likely to have each vision problem. Discover the cost avoidance possible with a premium vision benefit. Click on "Executive Summary" to learn your return on investment.

More than four out of five adults wear some kind of vision correction to compensate for common vision problems. And just about everyone will need some form of correction after age 40, when presbyopia affects up-close vision. If prescriptions are not up-to-date or problems from eyestrain and glare are causing blurred vision and headaches, employees are not seeing their best, and the impact on productivity is significant.

Click on the individual systemic diseases for more detail, or click on "Executive summary" to continue.

Trouble seeing up-close

Many people have trouble seeing up-close – even if they wear eyeglasses or contacts to correct their vision. Conditions that contribute to this include refractive errors (far-sightedness or near-sightedness) or astigmatism, which tend to develop earlier in life, and presbyopia, a vision problem typical after age 40 that makes near vision difficult. All of these problems can be corrected with the right eyewear -- but many people have prescriptions that are out of date. Plus, people who are just developing presbyopia often wait to see their eye doctor or rely on over-the-counter readers that don’t always fully correct their vision. According to a University of Alabama study, even when vision is miscorrected so slightly that the person does NOT notice, productivity loss may be as high as 20%. Because an employee’s productivity is impacted by a range of factors, the study suggests 2.5% as a more conservative estimate for productivity increase with proper vision correction.

Data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention shows that on average 38% notice trouble seeing up close reading print in newspapers, magazines, recipes, menus, or numbers on the telephone – even while wearing their glasses or contacts. The calculator pulls prevalence rates based on this data for your workforce and assumes productivity could be improved 2.5% for these individuals.

For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Trouble seeing far away

Many people have vision problems, such as myopia (near-sightedness) and astigmatism, that can interfere with vision far away. These people usually wear glasses or contracts to correct their vision – but may have prescriptions for glasses or contacts that are out-of-date. According to a University of Alabama study, even when vision is miscorrected so slightly that the person does NOT notice, productivity loss may be as high as 20%. Because an employee’s productivity is impacted by a range of factors, the study suggests 2.5% as a more conservative estimate for productivity increase with proper vision correction.

Data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention shows that 16% of people notice trouble seeing far away, or recognizing a friend across the street – even while wearing glasses or contacts. The calculator pulls prevalence rates based on this data for your workforce and assumes productivity could be improved 2.5% for these individuals.

For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Eyestrain and fatigue

Eyestrain and fatigue are caused by intense focusing of the eyes. This can occur when reading up close or working on digital devices for an extended period of time. It can also result from the eye trying to adjust to glare or bright light outdoors. Harmful blue light, indoors and out, has also been linked to eyestrain and fatigue. Certain lens options, like photochromic and anti-reflective lenses, can help reduce eyestrain and fatigue by minimizing reflections and glare. Research shows 40% of female and 50% of male employees with eyestrain and fatigue admit they take at least one break per day to rest their eyes, with the average number of breaks being a little more than three.

The calculator assumes employers with eyestrain and fatigue who take breaks can save the equivalent of three, 20-second breaks per day (a little more than a half day per year) by offering a vision benefit that covers glare-blocking eyewear.

Prevalence rates of eyestrain and fatigue are based on data from the Transitions Employee Perceptions of Vision Benefits survey. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Debilitating headaches from light and glare

Almost everyone experiences headaches, which can be distracting and outright debilitating – leading to absenteeism and difficulties concentrating on the job. Of those who report headaches, nearly one in four cite glare or light as a main cause. Wearing glare-blocking eyewear can reduce eyestrain and fatigue for these employees, helping prevent headaches on the job and at home.

Research shows that employees with headaches severe enough to result in lost productive time during a two-week period lose about 3.5 hours in productivity every week. The calculator assumes your workforce could avoid corresponding productivity loss by wearing glare-blocking eyewear.

Prevalence rates of headaches from light and glare are based on data from the 2012 Transitions Employee Perceptions of Vision Benefits survey. For details of all sources and citations, click here.

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Your estimated ROI is to one.

There are many eye- and overall-health problems that can affect your workforce – reducing productivity and impacting your employees’ quality of life.

Choosing a premium vision benefit that covers regular eye exams and proper eyewear to protect and enhance vision can help prevent or reduce these health risks – and save you on medical costs and lost productivity in the future.

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