Workplace Eye Wellness: McCaa Focuses on Refractive Solutions

Jackson, MS, March 18, 2011 --(PR.com)-- March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, which focuses on the 60 percent of Americans who have refractive vision problems, which can be corrected.

The most common eye problems are “refractive errors” – or the eye’s inability to focus properly – which can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lens, or LASIK (a refractive surgery), said Dr. Connie McCaa, of Jackson, Miss., a nationally known ophthalmologist who specializes in LASIK.

For older workers who need cataract surgery because their eyes’ natural lens become clouded, refractive errors may be corrected with new powered (corrective) lens implants, McCaa noted. These intraocular lenses correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism.

It is wise for employers to get involved with Workplace Eye Wellness Month, according to Prevent Blindness America, which initiated this national springtime observance. Neglected eye problems can lead to poor work performance, poor performance in training or school, dangerous driving, and diminished quality of life.

“In study after study, Americans says vision is their most valued of the five senses,” said McCaa, an M.D. and Ph.D. whose peers have named her one of the Best Doctors in America for 14 consecutive years.

Americans also rate loss of eyesight as a 10 on a 1-10 scale (with 10 being the worst that could happen to them), according to the National Eye Institute.

To preserve sight, workers are reminded to get eye exams and take vision correction measures each spring.

“We know that 11 million Americans have untreated refractive errors – which easily can be corrected to restore perfect, or near-perfect vision,” McCaa said. An ophthalmology exam also may detect hidden disorders and diseases of the eye, diabetes and circulatory problems - which are best found and treated early.

There are four types of refractive errors, as defined by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. They are caused by flaws in the cornea that covers the front of the eye.

* Myopia (nearsightedness): Close objects look clear, but distant objects are blurry.
* Hyperopia (farsightedness): Distant objects look clear, but close objects are blurry.
* Astigmatism: Vision is blurred for both near and far objects.
* Presbyopia: The eyes gradually lose the ability to change focus from distance to near (a condition which often begins at about age 40 and affects reading).

Many people will have one or more of these refractive errors.

“The important thing to remember that such refractive errors are correctable, unless there is another underlying eye problem,” said McCaa, a cornea and refractive surgeon.

The need for eye exams, of course, doesn’t change for workers without vision insurance. In economically disadvantaged states like Mississippi, more workers are at greater risk for neglecting eye care because they don’t have vision insurance, McCaa noted.

Only about 17 percent of U.S. employers offer vision insurance, although studies show employers gain as much as $7 in productivity and other assets for each $1 spent on that coverage, reports The Vision Council.

If you don’t have vision insurance in your workplace and cannot afford to see an eye doctor, Prevent Blindness America has posted a comprehensive list of about 30 ways you can get financial assistance for vision care. That listed is posted online at: www.preventblindness.org/vlc/resources.htm.

For more information about McCaa or for an appointment for LASIK laser vision correction, visit www.ConnieMcCaa.com or call 601-713-0038.

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