Most Americans Don’t Know that Eye Exams can Play a Key Role in Detecting Chronic Conditions Early

Dr. Mary Anne Murphy, Network Optometrist, VSP

(Sacramento, CA, Wednesday, August 29, 2018) – Today, VSP Vision Care, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits provider in the United States, and market research agency YouGov released new findings that show that many people in the U.S. are neglecting their eyes, primarily because they don’t understand the importance of annual eye exams and how it is connected to their overall health.

The survey found that:

• 84% of people rate vision as the most important sense, but most are not caring for their eyes properly.
• Despite 79% of people saying they should have an eye exam annually, only 56% actually do.
• Key reasons for not visiting an eye doctor annually are not having a need for new glasses/contacts (38%), followed by expense (31%) and not having vision insurance (28%).

This is concerning because even if you have naturally good vision, you still need an annual exam. Many vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms, so you might not know a problem exists. An eye exam can also help your doctor see signs of common health conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. After learning this, nine-in-ten survey respondents agree on the importance of annual eye exams.

To schedule an annual eye exam and find a VSP eye doctor near you, visit VSP.com.