VDU Users Need Regular Eye Tests
Under the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992, Visual Display Unit (VDU) users as part of their employment are legally entitled to have regular eye exam paid for by the employer.
To avoid any doubt for the employee or employer, all employees have the right to have an eye test if the employee uses a VDU for a significant part of their normal work. Regardless of whether the employer allows recommended breaks, if your work still requires you to use VDU’s for a significant period of time, your employer must still provide an eye test on a regular basis.
If employees are covered under the regulations, they must book an eye test themselves, unless the employer has their own optometrist to carry out eye tests for their employees. The employer, just like the first eye exam, must also pay for an eye exam if the optometrist requires you to visit again for a further check.
Any special prescription glasses prescribed by the optometrist, that are required for the use of the VDU, where normal spectacles are not adequate these must also be paid for by the employer.
Although, it is the employee’s duty as well as employer’s to ensure all Health & Safety Regulations are complied with. This means that your workstation, chair and VDU should be Health & Safety compliant and necessary adjustments should be made to ensure the health of the employee. However, this does not mean that if your vision is affected that it is ignored and the VDU is adjusted to compensate for poor vision. Some people choose to change the font size on the screen so that they can see better when in fact glasses is the best solution. Book an Eye Test now and make sure you have perfect vision to enable you to continue working effectively.