UnitedHealthcare Vision takes on myopia awareness initiatives
The company’s initiatives include involvement with the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition and discounting blue light screen protectors and its pediatric eye care program, among others.
Image Credit: AdobeStock/standret
CORRECTION: This article was updated to include accurate information regarding UnitedHealthcare Vision membership discounts on June 3, 2024.
UnitedHealthcare Vision is taking on new initiatives to help combat myopia through access to testing and treatment amid the rise of screen time. Among these initiatives includes involvement with the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC), with its CEO Lori Archer appointed as board member, among others.1
“We live in a digital world, and while myopia can be a hereditary condition, there’s no question increased use of screens, especially at a close range and for long periods of time, is having an impact on our eye health,” Archer said in a Q&A.1
Organized in 2018, GMAC is working to promote awareness of pediatric myopia as a treatable disease, possible through use of proven interventions. The coalition has been developing public messaging campaigns by working with health care professionals and organizations in an effort to educate both parents and children about the importance of regular eye examinations. According to a 2019 GMAC survey conducted in the US, 26% of parents have taken their children to an eye care provider in the past year, with 88% of parents believing that comprehensive eye exams aren’t needed until children enter school.2
GMAC has also launched its Sight Sanctuary initiative, which encourages outdoor activities away from screens to decrease myopia progression. The coalition cites a myopia risk that is 3.5 times greater when children spend more than 7 hours on screens per week.3
UnitedHealthcare Vision members in Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Seattle and the Washington, D.C. area also now have access to a complimentary comprehensive assessment for myopia and a value-added discount of $250 off the first year of myopia management treatment for new pediatric patients through a partnership with Treehouse Eyes at participating locations.
UnitedHealthcare Vision members can also receive 20% off Eyesafe Blue Light Screen Protectors, available for phones, tablets, laptops, and computer monitors and for a variety of brands.4
References:
Nearsightedness on the rise – could screen time have an impact? UnitedHealthcare. May 15, 2024. Accessed May 31, 2024. https://www.uhc.com/news-articles/healthy-living/myopia-nearsightedness
Safeguarding sight. Global Myopia Awareness Coalition. Accessed May 31, 2024. https://www.myopiaawareness.org/about
Sight Sanctuary. Global Myopia Awareness Coalition. Accessed May 31, 2024. https://www.myopiaawareness.org/our-latest-work
Shop. Eyesafe. Accessed May 31, 2024. https://shop.eyesafe.com/?utm_source=uhc&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=referral
Newsletter
Want more insights like this? Subscribe to Optometry Times and get clinical pearls and practice tips delivered straight to your inbox.
