Kids and teens need vision care too

Until her daughter began complaining in 7th grade about not being able to see well in school, Tammy Monroe didn’t realize vision care and her EyeMed benefits would become a priority in her family’s life. It was time to visit the eye doctor.

Now she takes her daughter to the eye doctor on a regular basis because her young eyes are changing so rapidly. “Since I still don’t need vision correction myself, I didn’t realize her eyes could change so much in less than a year,” Tammy said.

Fortunately, her family has EyeMed vision benefits through her husband’s employer that allow her daughter to have an eye exam and update her prescription (if needed) annually.

“I can stay ahead of the curve when it comes to my daughter’s changing vision, and she doesn’t have to worry about not being able to see the teacher’s instructions clearly.”

Now her daughter relies on her family’s EyeMed vision benefits to view the world clearly every day and live an active and full life.

And clear vision is important for Tammy’s daughter not only in school, but also in the athletics and tumbling she does in the fall and competitive cheerleading year-round. Quality eyeglass frames and contact lenses are crucial for her success, Tammy said.

Since seeing firsthand how rapidly her daughter’s vision has changed, Tammy now recognizes the importance of receiving comprehensive annual eye exams and always makes sure that she makes visits to the eye doctor a priority for herself and everyone in her family.

A proactive approach to eye health

“I’d love to have perfect vision for the rest of my life, but I don’t want to find myself in a situation like my daughter did because I didn’t get eye exams myself,” Tammy said. “It’s best to be proactive and see vision care as a great way to stay on top of your health.”

With every eye exam Tammy’s family receives, their eye doctor is not only looking for changes in quality of vision, but also for early warnings signs of things like diabetes and high blood pressure, which can be spotted by the eye doctor. This makes Tammy’s vision benefits an integral part of her family’s entire health plan.

“I tell everyone I know to enroll in vision benefits if they have the opportunity,” Tammy remarked. “Thankfully my daughter was vocal enough to express the problems she was having, but not every kid would be. That is why I think parents need to get out ahead of their children’s vision, regardless of how good their own vision is."

Employers and benefit brokers can learn more about how EyeMed vision benefits make eye care easy for employees and their dependents--visit starthere.eyemed.com.

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