What Is The Legislation
Regarding VDU’s?
The Health and Safety Display Screen Equipment
Regulations (1992) came in to force in January 1993.The regulations
cover welfare standards for staff who regularly use computers at work.
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What Must Employers Do?
They are required to arrange and pay for an
eye examination for those employees who request one.
How Often?
Subsequent follow up eye tests must be provided
at regular intervals – usually every 2 years. The interval is
based on recommendations from the examining optometrist and may be
sooner depending on individual circumstances.
Additional interim eye tests must be provided and paid for at any
time, if an employee requests it or experiences difficulty with their
sight.
What Else?
Employers must pay for any spectacles that are
required specifically for VDU work.
Anything Further?
Yes – you must make sure that your staff
know about their entitlements and provisions under this legislation.
Does The Employer Have To
Pay For All Their Employees Glasses?
No, the regulations state that the employer
is only obligated to pay for those that are ‘specifically for
VDU use’. Some employers however voluntarily choose to make
a contribution to all of their staffs spectacles, regardless of use,
as part of an employee benefits package.
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What Does Glasses ‘Specifically
For VDU Use ’ Mean?
These are glasses that are formulated to focus
specifically at the distance that the computer is placed. The power
of these spectacles will be different to any that the employee uses
for other tasks.
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Which Employees Need These
‘VDU Glasses’?
Generally most employees aged around 50 and
over will require glasses with a separate and special power for looking
at the computer. This is because as eyes age, they lose their ability
to adjust their focusing for different distances.
Occasionally some younger people will also experience focusing difficulties
or fatigue and may require glasses solely for computer use.
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Type Of Spectacles Are These VDU Glasses?
They look just like normal glasses –
no special frame type is required. The lenses are supplied in either
single vision or multifocal form.
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What Are Single Vision
Lenses?
These are lenses with a single power only.
The same power is at the top, middle and bottom of the lens.
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What Are Multifocal Lenses?
These are lenses that have more than one power
in them. They commonly come in two types: varifocals or bifocals
Varifocal lenses change in power gradually, starting from the top
of the lens and continuing down to the bottom.
They look like normal single vision lenses. Different parts of the
lens focus for different distances. The wearer adjusts the position
of their head and or eyes to look through the necessary part of
the lens.
Bifocal lenses have two different powers : one at the top and a
separate one at the bottom. The two powers are separated by a visible
line.
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Who Will Need Single Vision
And Who Will Need Multifocals?
In general single vision spectacles are adequate
for those under 45 as they require the same power to focus at all
distances. A person in this category can see perfectly for in the
far distance, reading and computer wearing the same lens strength.
As the eyes age however multifocals become necessary as different
lens powers are needed for different tasks. Multifocals also give
the added convenience of not having to constantly change from one
pair of glasses to another, or take glasses on and off. We will
supply a report following the examination, of what if anything is
required.
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Am I Obligated To Pay
The Whole Cost Of Any Necessary Spectacles?
Employers are obligated to pay for any required
glasses. These glasses however do not have to be more than a basic
pair. At The Eye Academy we can provide such a pair for £50
in single vision form or for £75 in multifocal form. These
prices are inclusive of both the frame and lenses.
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What If The Staff Want To Choose Something
Else?
Employees are free to upgrade to more expensive
frame and lens options and pay any difference in costs themselves.
We stock a huge range of the latest designer frames and supply lenses
from leading name brands such as Nikon. Our frames and sunglasses
collection is acknowledged to be one of the largest and best in
Berkshire, indeed outside of London.
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