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 Medtronic Offers PRIO Computer Vision Testing to Employees (Beaverton, OREGON) Medtronic Inc., a major medical products manufacturer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is one of the first large employers in the country to recognize Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) as an occupational safety issue. As a result, Medtronic has initiated a corporate-wide computer vision plan administered by PRIO Corporation of Beaverton, Oregon. This program makes computer-specific eyeglasses available to all employees who are diagnosed with CVS by a PRIO-Provider Network eye doctor. "I'm not one to be a commercial, but my PRIO computer glasses have made a world of difference," said Phil Snowden, a former contract employee at Medtronic Corporation now serving as a high-school principal. "Doing detail work at the computer became very difficult with my bifocals. I could feel my eyes straining to focus and tilting my head up to see made matters worse. I even tried working without any glasses at all. Getting PRIO computer glasses through Medtronic made my job ten times more enjoyable. It was like night and day." Half the work force—70 million-plus—work at a computer daily. According to the American Optometric Association, 70-75% could benefit from computer eyewear. Medtronic will provide symptomatic employees with computer-specific eyewear based on a PRIO eye exam. In an internal comparison of various ways to provide computer vision care for its employees, Medtronic found that employees who received PRIO-prescribed computer glasses were more satisfied and believed they had received better vision care than employees who did not. Medtronic employees visit a doctor providing the PRIO test in order to receive the company sponsored vision coverage. "We applaud Medtronic for taking this step in solving the problems that CVS can cause in the workplace," said Jon Torrey, President and CEO of PRIO Corporation. "Not only does it show an understanding of how the use of computer eyeglasses can improve overall productivity, but also a genuine concern for the comfort and safety of their employees." PRIO is a medical testing instrument that is designed to accurately diagnose CVS. The instrument enables an eye doctor to prescribe eyeglasses that eliminate the focusing stresses causing computer eyestrain. The PRIO instrument is the only medical device on the market that simulates the computer screen right in the doctor's exam room. Approximately 1,200 optometrists and ophthalmologists currently offer the PRIO test throughout the United States. Torrey cites the results of various clinical trials reporting decreases in eyestrain symptoms and increases in productivity with PRIO-prescribed glasses. For example, a 1999 trial program with a major telecommunications equipment company found a decrease of 60% in reported eyestrain symptoms after just four weeks with the PRIO-prescribed glasses. In addition, a 1998 comparison at a major bank's credit processing facility revealed that an experimental group provided with PRIO-prescribed eyeglasses exhibited a 9.6% increase in productivity over the control group. A growing number of employers, like Medtronic, consider the cost of such a program to be negligible when balanced against improving the workplace conditions of employees and enhancing overall productivity. For more information on PRIO Corporation and the PRIO Provider Network of eye doctors, call or visit the company's website at www.prio.com. PRIO® is a registered trademark of PRIO Corporation. |
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