The Healthy Company program helped reveal vision disorders

• 66% examined employees wear unsuitable glasses
• 10 % employees do not use any corrective lenses although they need them
• 44% T-Mobile employees have already taken part in the Healthy Company program

Prague, 20 May 2009 - Some of our employees underestimate the care of their eyes, as was revealed by the preventive eye examinations of T-Mobile employees carried out within the Healthy Company program. The voluntary examinations organized by T-Mobile for its employees directly at the workplace revealed that more than 10% examined employees do not use any corrective lenses although they need them. The results also show that two thirds of those who are using corrective lenses need their adjustment. In several employees the examination detected a risk of development of a glaucoma, which can be prevented by a timely introduction of a suitable treatment. The eye examinations available directly at the workplace were attended mainly by older employees. 

"Vision impairments belong among the most frequent disorders in general," says Barbora Stejskalová, Executive Vice President Human Resources for T-Mobile Czech Republic, adding: ?However, many people underestimate eye disorders and do not pay sufficient attention to them. Untreated eye disorders may lead to a range of other problems, such as headache, sore and red eyes, blurred vision or fatigue. These problems negatively influence employees' general health condition and work performance. Therefore we decided to focus also on this area within the Healthy Company program." A free eye examination has been one of the many types of examinations regularly offered to the employees within the Healthy Company program since 2008. T-Mobile employees have had the possibility to undergo blood tests to detect their glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, have their blood pressure measured or attend free seminars on healthy lifestyle.   

According to a study carried out by David Dunaway and Ian Berger, 0.8 to 2.3 billion people all over world suffer from an eye disorder. More exact data or statistics are not available as people do not pay sufficient attention to their eyes or are not aware of the fact that they suffer from an eye disorder. The most frequent eye defects are nearsightedness and farsightedness. Nearsighted people perceive distant objects as blurred. This disorder may not be present at birth. It is influenced by both genetic factors and the person's lifestyle and environment. That is why it more and more often affects young people. For example in the US, 20% of the population suffers from this eye defect. Farsighted people have difficulty focusing on objects close up. Unlike nearsightedness, farsightedness is either innate or appears after forty years of age. Up to 29% of the US population might suffer from this defect by 2014. Elderly people may also experience accommodation problems when the eye looses its ability to quickly focus from distant objects to close ones and vice versa. Higher age also increases the risk of other eye disorders, such as glaucoma or cataract.     

About the Healthy Company program
The Healthy Company program running at T-Mobile since 2008 focuses on the promotion of a healthy lifestyle and positive work habits among the company's employees. It consists of three sections - Health Prevention aimed at a healthy work environment, Healthy Lifestyle supporting a healthy diet and Do it in a safe way consisting in safety trainings particularly for T-Mobile employees working in the field. 

A total of 44% of our employees have taken part in the program: 6% underwent a treatment by a dental hygienist, 10% had a massage, 13% chose a vaccination and 8 % attended an anti-skid school course.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.