When it comes to eye care for employees working on visual display units (VDUs), there are several startling facts that have been brought forth by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare in their latest study. The report discloses that even though most businesses believe that they should pay for the for eye tests of VDU workers, only around 60% of them believe that this includes paying for glasses, if required. Further, around 20% of employers believe that they need to make a payment only if they are inclined to do so.

Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations mandate every employer to provide for eye tests and glasses, when required, to all the employees working on VDUs. The lack of understanding of the Regulations by employers is also reflected in the fact that more that 85% of those surveyed think that they should provide for eye tests, while 59% consider it compulsory to provide only for the glasses, that too partially. The proportion of employers who know that it is mandatory to make the total payment with respect to glasses for VDU users is as low as 17%.

Half of the employers allow their employees to go to any optician of their choice, which can make the affair costly. The employers are oblivious of the fact that the Regulations allow employers to nominate an optician of their choice for the purpose of such eye tests and provision for glasses. Moreover, the Regulations require provision only of single-vision glasses, but over a quarter of employers want to provide for bifocal glasses, which might not even be right for the purpose of VDUs. This is where DSE training can be of benefit to your organisation and anyone working with visual display screen equipment.

Over 80% employers are well aware of the Regulations but they are not clear on all the provisions, which results in them incurring extra expenditure without any positive output. In a previous research, it was found that irrespective of the fact that there are eye test vouchers available for a mere £17, most employers think that average cost of an eye test and glasses is around £50.