There is no doubt whatsoever that across the world, vision health is becoming poorer each passing year. This is more so in America: in a country battling an obesity epidemic, how could eye health be any better? Compound our poor health in general with increased use of televisions, computers, and other ‘screen based devices’, and you can see why our vision health is going southwards.
As of now, there are over 2.5 million visually impaired people in the US – that is, those that have very limited vision (if at all). This number does not include 1 million blind. That more than 3/4th or nearly 75{5c84b89e0cba74b6d8cdc777bf9a8338d14dd91243071983e74bc62a6792d410} of people between 25-64 require some kind of vision correction equipment (read: glasses, lenses) is a testimonial of the declining state of our nation’s vision health.
Some even more troubling facts: one in four school going children have undiagnosed vision problems. It is also estimated that vision problems cost the American economy upwards of $50 billion every year.
Keeping all these statistics in mind, it seems only natural that most people list vision care plans as their most desired insurance benefits, besides a general health plan. Insurance companies too have risen to meet this demand. Today, getting an individual vision insurance plan is quite affordable, costing only a few dollars each month. Group vision insurance plans tend to be even cheaper, and more and more employers are offering this benefit to their employees.
An individual vision insurance plan basically provides cover for most vision related problems. These can range from regular eye exams and doctor visits, to partial payment for corrective glasses and contact lenses. Some policies even provide coverage for surgical procedures such as LASIK.
The cost of visiting an eye doctor, or getting a pair of glasses made can be quite high, as anybody with vision problems will testify. A single pair of glasses can run into hundreds of dollars. Taking care of your vision can cost upwards of several thousand dollars, depending on the severity of your vision problems. It makes quite sense then to invest in an individual vision insurance plan that will cover a major chunk of these expenses.
In most cases, a vision insurance plan can be added on top of your existing medical plan for only a few dollars more each month. Families can also opt for a group plan that will decrease the monthly cost even further.
A vision insurance plan is a great investment for the future, whether you are single or have a family. Vision problems will only compound in the future as eye health only deteriorates with age. A solid individual vision insurance plan will cover most expenses related to keeping your eyes healthy, and some procedures, such as regular eye exams, may also be helpful in detecting symptoms of other serious diseases like diabetes.