Employee eye tests
September 1, 2008
As part of health and safety legislation, employers have a duty to provide eye tests for employees who regularly use DSE (display screen equipment), and also to pay for corrective equipment (i.e. spectacles) where these are needed for DSE use only. This isn’t because using DSE has an adverse effect on a person’s eyesight, in fact research has found that there is no evidence to show that DSE work causes long term damage to eyesight. The problem is that prolonged DSE work can cause tiredness, short term short-sightedness and headaches, and these effects are much worse for people whose vision is uncorrected than those with good vision or the correct prescription glasses or contact lenses.
Of course, regular breaks away from the computer screen are also required to ensure employees avoid eye strain and the associated effects. The law doesn’t state exactly how regular these breaks should be, as DSE work varies, but a good rule of thumb is at least every four hours. Be aware though that this doesn’t mean that the employee should have a break from work at this frequency – a break from the screen could include attending meetings, doing some filing or reading form a paper based source. The number of breaks an employee should take from work is a separate piece of health and safety law and relates to a person’s age.
In terms of eye tests, there is no specific guidance on how often an employer should be required to pay for one, and no legal requirement to provide paid time off to attend an eye test, however many employers will include this entitlement in their eye test policies as good practice. Many companies limit the frequency of paid eye tests, generally to every two years, but others will take the lead from the optician who will recommend the period between eye tests at the time of the prescription. The law is a bit vague as to the amount an employer has to pay for corrective equipment if an employee needs to wear glasses specifically for DSE use, and there are quite wide variances in policies between different organisations. Some have a limit which is based on the cost of basic NHS frames and lenses, and can vary from between £45 to £100. Some employers don’t state a cost limit, but will say that the cost for basic NHS glasses will be covered by the organisation, and then the employee needs to show by way of a receipt from the optician how much this is, and how much extra they need to pay if they wish to purchase designer frames or special lenses (e.g. with anti-scratch or anti-glare coating).
Another thing to consider is whether to use a specific optician or allow the employee to go to their own chosen optician and claim the cost of the test back. Having a specified optician would mean that the cost of the test per employee is the same, which is a consideration because the cost of tests can range from around £17 up to £30. However many employees have a long term relationship with their optician, and would prefer to go to their own chosen provider than one specified by the company. To overcome this, the company could agree to pay for a test up to a specified cost, e.g. £20, with the remainder paid by the employee, thus giving the employee the choice of attending a more expensive optician if they wish to. There are companies that provide a voucher service where the company purchases a few eye test vouchers at a specified cost, then these vouchers can be used at most opticians. This is a good option as the complication of the employee paying and then claiming for the test is taken away, and also many providers also supply promotional items such as posters, so that employees are better aware of their entitlements, and the employer’s reputation in terms of employee wellbeing is enhanced.
If you are responsible for an eye test policy then a good place to start for information and legal requirements is the HSE website.