Cutting Back on Medical Costs? Think Twice Before Doing So

More than 20 percent of American’s have cut back on medical visits to save money so far in this current recession, but the cost saving strategy could have serious health consequences. A big risk in cutting back on preventative medical care is in eye exams. Many people don’t see the hidden consequences as more than 40 percent of Americans report postponing or avoiding eye car because of medical costs. Many vision-threatening health conditions have no early warning signs and eyes exams can also detect other serious health problems including diabetes and hypertension. Vision disorders are the second most prevalent health problem in the country, affecting more than 120 million people. More than two-thirds of American’s said they would be more willing to get an eye exam if their employers offered some vision coverage in their insurance plan, yet only 17 percent of employers offer vision insurance. Uncorrected vision problems effect the bottom line, costing more than 8 billion in lost productivity each year. *Facts and information from the Vision Council (www.thevisioncouncil.org)