TRANSITIONS
By: Ben Hoover, Morris & Garritano Insurance
After several years of rapid workplace transformation, 2026 is emerging as a pivotal year for employee benefits, especially in vision care. For insurance brokers, vision benefits are no longer a “nice-to-have,” but a strategic lever for improving productivity and overall employee well-being.
Findings from the Transitions Optical 2025 Workplace Wellness Survey underscore the urgency of this shift. Screen-heavy, hybrid, and flexible work arrangements now dominate daily routines, and their impact on visual comfort and performance is growing. Employees are clearly signaling a need for more support, and brokers who help employers respond will be well-positioned to deliver measurable value.
Below are the top trends shaping vision care strategies for 2026 and how brokers can leverage them to strengthen employer relationships and drive better workforce outcomes.
1. Vision Care Demand Will Surge as Screen Strain Impacts Productivity
“Vision care has historically taken a back seat to medical and dental coverage, yet today’s data paints a far different picture.”
More than half of employees spend over six hours a day on screens, and 92% report light sensitivity or eye fatigue by day’s end, which can affect concentration and comfort. In fact, 42% of respondents say light sensitivity caused by eye fatigue negatively impacts their productivity and performance at work. (2025 Transitions Workplace Wellness Survey)
Despite this, only three in 10 employees say eye health is even discussed at work. This communication gap presents a major opportunity for brokers to help employers modernize their benefits approach. (2025 Transitions Workplace Wellness Survey)
In 2026, employers looking to boost performance will increasingly turn to enhanced vision benefits.
2. Premium Vision Solutions Will Gain Market Share
As hybrid and outdoor-to-indoor environments expose employees to constantly changing light, premium lens technologies are becoming essential.
Sixty-eight percent of employees say bright or constantly changing light conditions interfere with their ability to excel at work. This suggests that solutions supporting visual comfort may play a valuable role in overall performance. (2025 Transitions Workplace Wellness Survey)
Premium options like Transitions® GEN S™ lenses, available in Anthem Blue View Vision insurance plans, automatically adapt to changing light, darkening when outdoors and returning to clear when indoors, offering ultimate light protection by blocking 100% UVA and UVB rays and filtering blue-violet light indoors and outdoors. (Block 100% UVA & UVB rays, darken outdoors & filters up to 32% of blue-violet light indoors & up to 85% outdoors. Blue-violet light is measured between 400nm and 455 nm (ISOTR20772:2018) across colors on polycarbonate & CR39 lenses.)
3. Vision Health Will Become a Core Pillar of Wellness Programs
In 2026, brokers will see vision benefits repositioned as a foundational wellness investment, rather than simply a basic insurance add-on.
The economics alone make a compelling case. Deloitte estimates that for Americans exposed to excessive screen time, annual eye exams, which are included under Anthem Blue View Vision plans, could unlock as much as $45.5 billion in productivity gains and $26.4 billion in improved well-being. (Deloitte. 2024, February 8. The impact of unmanaged excessive screen time in the United States.)
Survey respondents also describe several motivations for obtaining an annual eye exam, including:
- Early identification of eye diseases (67%)
- Detection of indicators related to high blood pressure, diabetes, or brain tumors (42%) (2025 Transitions Workplace Wellness Survey)
Positioning vision care within holistic wellness efforts may help employers support healthier, more productive workforces.
4. Education and Engagement Will Be Critical to Realizing Value
Even the best benefits can fall short if employees do not understand or use them.
Survey data shows employees want more communication and support from their employers:
- 52% want educational materials on digital eye strain
- 52% want reminders to step away from screens
- 48% want clear, annual explanations of their vision benefits (2025 Transitions Workplace Wellness Survey)
This makes education one of the biggest differentiators for brokers in 2026.
Brokers can support employers by offering:
- Ready-made communication toolkits
- Digital-strain and eye-comfort wellness content
- Engagement campaigns tied to open enrollment
- Preventive-care reminders to encourage annual eye exams
Such resources may support stronger utilization and greater perceived value among employees.
5. Preventive Eye Care Will Become a Competitive Advantage for Employers
Three in five employees say they are more likely to take time off for a dental appointment than to visit an eye doctor, despite the fact that vision issues affect their work every day. (2025 Transitions Workplace Wellness Survey)
Employers that highlight the importance of regular eye exams may be better positioned to support productivity, comfort, and long-term health outcomes. When preventive care is paired with premium lens solutions, employees may experience clearer vision and fewer distractions, which can contribute to higher engagement and improved morale.
Looking Ahead: Why Vision Care Will Be a Top Priority for 2026
The industry is moving toward a clear consensus: vision care is a core component of workplace well-being and productivity. Employers should seek new ways to drive wellness and efficiency, and premium solutions are now mainstream expectations.
For brokers, 2026 presents a unique opportunity to lead. By guiding employers toward more robust vision benefits, offering communication and engagement tools and emphasizing the value of preventive care and lens technologies like Transitions® GEN S™ lenses, brokers can drive meaningful improvements across the workforce.
Vision care is no longer just about seeing clearly. In 2026, it will be about helping employees feel better, work better, and perform at their best in an increasingly visually demanding world.
Ben Hoover is a Senior Employee Benefits Advisor & Practice Leader at Morris & Garritano Insurance, a company affiliated with Anthem, Inc. He can be reached at bhoover@MorrisGarritano.com
Featured in our January Special Issue 2026 page 22 – Click here to download!
SOURCES:
- Anthem’s Blue View Vision insurance plans: https://www.anthem.com/individual-and-family/vision-insurance
- Transitions® GEN S™ lenses: https://www.transitions.com/en-us/products/transitions-gen-s/
- Website: https://www.anthem.com/