Eye and vision problems may be costing Hawai'i employers $255 million a year in lost productivity, errors and absenteeism, according to a report by a Virginia-based group that advocates increased eye care.

The estimated expense is 40th highest among the 50 states, according to the Vision Council of America. The report said nationwide vision problems cost employers more than $8 billion annually.

"Uncorrected vision can cause lost productivity and accuracy even for people who do not have any symptoms," the report said.

It noted vision problems are associated with higher error rates and that studies have shown people with visual impairments are more likely to be dissatisfied with their jobs and absent more frequently. Other employees may work less efficiently.

Honolulu optometrist Roger Ede of Vision Care Centers of Hawaii said he is aware that some workers who use computers may have related vision problems. He said fortunately many people have vision benefits provided in their health insurance plans offered by employers. Yet more can be done to detect vision problems before people enter the workplace, Ede said.

Ede serves on a state Department of Health task force looking into reinstating vision and hearing screening at the state's elementary schools. Ede said such testing ended in 1995 because of budget constraints.

"Undetected vision problems can lead to learning difficulties, behavioral problems and truancy," Ede said. "Statistics show that people that have had conditions of lazy eye are 50 percent more prone to accidents and trauma to their eyes."

The Vision Council of America said it calculated the estimated cost to employers by looking at the number of people over age 44 in each state. It multiplied this figure by the annual cost of major adult vision disorders estimated in a 2007 report by Prevent Blindness America.

The report said there are about 800,000 work-related eye injuries nationwide each year and that 90 percent of eye injuries are preventable. It said nine in 10 workers who spend at least three hours a day using a computer suffer from eye strain, symptoms of which include blurred vision, headaches, dry eyes and neck and back aches.

Reach Greg Wiles at gwiles@honoluluadvertiser.com.