New Research: Consumers and Employers Agree Vision Coverage Helps Keep Care Affordable
New national research from the Alliance for Affordable Vision Care finds broad agreement among consumers and employers: vision coverage delivers value, helps keep care affordable and accessible, and should be protected.
The Healthy Vision Association (HVA) helped found the Alliance in 2025 because of a shared commitment to protecting access to affordable vision care. Today, the Alliance brings together nearly 40 organizations representing business, health care, labor, civic and community interests around that common goal.
The Alliance’s new report, Keeping Vision Care Within Reach, shows strong satisfaction with vision benefits among both consumers and employers. Among adults with vision coverage, 82% say their coverage meets their needs and 77% are satisfied with the protection it provides from paying the full out-of-pocket cost of care. Among employers, 90% are satisfied with the value vision benefits provide for their employees, while 74% rate their coverage as a good or excellent value for the cost.
But the research also underscores what happens when care becomes harder to afford. Among adults without vision coverage who had an unmet vision need but did not seek care, 84% say cost was the main reason or a contributing factor. Adults without vision coverage are also twice as likely to skip an eye exam altogether because of cost compared with those who have coverage.
Those findings matter beyond vision correction. Eighty percent of consumers say regular eye exams are important to maintain overall health, and 67% know comprehensive eye exams can detect early signs of chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Together, the findings reinforce a simple connection: affordability is access. When costs become a barrier, people are more likely to delay or go without care.
The research comes as lawmakers in a growing number of states consider changes to how vision benefits are designed and delivered. Consumers and employers are sending a clear message about what they want policymakers to protect: 74% of consumers and 83% of employers say elected officials should prioritize keeping vision care affordable for working families. In addition, 60% of covered adults are concerned that policy changes could raise their costs or narrow provider choice, while 56% of employers are concerned about changes that could increase their vision benefit costs.
The findings are clear: vision coverage is working for consumers and employers, and affordability is central to keeping that value within reach. As a founding member of the Alliance, HVA is committed to helping protect affordable access to vision care so more Americans can get the care they need.
________________________________________
About the research: The research was conducted as a national survey initiative with consumer and employer components. The consumer survey was conducted among 4,027 employed adults ages 21–64 enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance. The employer survey included 201 benefits decisionmakers at small and medium-sized employers offering vision coverage. The surveys were conducted in July and August 2026 and commissioned by the Alliance for Affordable Vision Care, of which VSP Vision is a funder.