Delaying medical care, like your annual eye exam, comes with costs
During the pandemic, many Americans delayed healthcare. Now, it’s time to catch up.
Across the U.S., people have been putting off medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, one in five Americans reported that either they themselves or a member of their household delayed medical care.[1] What’s more, 57% of those who delayed getting help experienced negative health consequences.
Their reasons for doing so are certainly valid — ranging from the closure of doctors’ offices and cancellation of appointments by their medical provider to concerns about the increased risk of going out during the pandemic.
Still, now is the time for Americans to catch up on the necessary care that they’ve missed. That includes not only treatments and procedures for existing conditions, but also preventative exams to identify possible health concerns that may be missed otherwise, such as annual eye exams.
If it has been more than a year since your last eye exam or if you’re over the age of 40 and have never had an eye exam, consider calling your optometrist (otherwise known as your eye doctor) to schedule an appointment.
The importance of eye exams, even if you don’t think you have a need
Although vision correction is certainly an important aspect of an eye exam, going to see an eye doctor isn’t just about updating your contact lens or glasses prescription. In addition to checking your eyesight and the health of your eyes, your eye doctor can look for signs of non-eye related health conditions that can sometimes go undetected — often because symptoms haven’t yet arisen.
Just because you have good vision doesn’t mean you have healthy eyes. Early detection of a range of chronic diseases is possible by getting an eye exam and might help to expand your range of options to manage them. For example, an eye exam can reveal signs of eye problems including glaucoma, macular degeneration and tumors. It can even reveal signs of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Making annual eye exams more attainable
Of course, the pandemic isn’t the only reason that people put off preventative care, such as eye exams. Unfortunately, financial factors can also come into play, especially for people who are retired or whose employer does not offer health insurance. Even those with access to individual health care plans or Medicare may find that they encounter gaps when it comes to annual and affordable eye care as some plans do not include routine eye exams or a materials benefit (i.e., glasses or contacts).
VSP® Individual Vision Plans provide affordable access to vision coverage tailored specifically to you. Over 80 million Americans already trust VSP for their vision care, making it the largest vision insurance provider in the country. Despite its large size, the plans truly are individual, offering people flexibility and customization options to select the plan that fits best with the coverage level they need. Plans start as low as $13 per month and offer a typical annual savings of more than $200 per year. VSP members also get access to hundreds of additional savings with exclusive member extras which include special offers and deals from VSP and other leading industry brands.
With easy same-day enrollment and the nation’s largest doctor network, VSP Individual Vision Plans aim to be both impactful and convenient. In addition to savings on your annual eye exam, VSP Individual Vision Plans also offer generous frame allowances.
Don’t let finances be the reason you neglect your eyes. VSP Individual Vision Plans also offer convenient payment options like paying monthly or annually for your plan. Think of it this way — you can’t afford not to take care of your eyes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that vision loss carries a cost of more than $35 billion as a result of direct costs and lost productivity. Don’t forsake your eyes — they are the only ones you get.
To find an eye doctor near you, or to learn more about affordable, customizable and simple-to-understand vision insurance offerings from VSP Individual Vision Plans, visit VSPandMe.com.
Footnotes
[1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2774358
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