As an employer, vision care is one of the most valuable--and affordable--benefits you can offer your employees. When asked, most people admit to putting off having their eyes checked because of the perceived expense. In fact, statistics show that a new pair of glasses remains the highest out-of-pocket cost to employees and dependents without vision care plans.

The 20/20 family of companies develops and administers custom-designed vision care benefits programs for every size employer group, managed care organization, school board and municipality. And once we have your enrollment data, we'll keep you up to date on how many employees are taking advantage of the vision care benefit you're offering and how much you're spending.

Put our broad-based experience in accounting, healthcare cost management and program administration to work for you. Let us tailor a plan specifically for you that fits the varied vision needs of your membership base.

If you have questions regarding your 20/20 EyeCare coverage, services or products, we encourage you to call toll-free 800-525-9778, or email us at info@2020eyecareplan.com for more information regarding 20/20's vision care plans.

Different occupations require creative solutions to vision challenges. Here are a few examples of how 20/20 Doctors responded to unusual eyewear requests.

A local choral director who wants to be able to see her music and conduct at the same time. Solution: Contact lenses that allow her to read her music while viewing the choir.

A professional golfer who wears reading glasses needs to see the fairway and his scorecard while playing. Solution: Special bifocal lenses satisfy both requirements.

An astronaut who has visual demands at many different angles. Solution: Premium progressive lenses.

A professional photographer who needs to see objects at 40 inches through the bottom of his glasses and objects at 40 feet through the top. Solution: Special bifocal or premium progressive lenses.

If your employees need to see up close and at a distance to perform their jobs, or if they work in hazardous environments, have them check with their provider to see if special eyewear will help improve performance and enhance safety.

• More than 62 percent of ALL workers and their dependents need some form of visual correction.
• Without regular vision care, many people wear corrective glasses that are inadequate for their present day vision needs.
• Properly corrected vision lowers the risk for on-the-job accidents, increases productivity by decreasing errors, relieves eye strain and facilitates the use of video display terminals and other equipment requiring close eye work.
• Regular eye examinations can provide early detection of medical conditions such as diabetes, glaucoma and high blood pressure.
• The Florida Optometric Association recommends eye examinations on a regular basis to ensure proper visual health.