Prolonged use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE) (also known as Visual Display Units or VDUs) such as computer monitors, and portable devices like laptops, tablets and smart phones may cause some employees to experience eye problems.
By law, employees using screens such as PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones for continuous periods of an hour or more a day should be provided with an eye test, funded by their employer, when if requested. If glasses are prescribed for the distance the screen is viewed at only, then needed solely and specifically for DSE use, the employer is obliged to pay for glasses.
If you’re employed and work with a screen, you should ask your boss to provide you with a Specsavers corporate eyecare voucher.
Specsavers corporate eyecare vouchers offer responsible employers an easy, cost-effective way to stay on top of their legal obligations, and at the same time make sure employees can avoid unnecessary discomfort at work. The cost of our DSE/VDU voucher is £17 and includes an eye test and provides employees up to £70 towards selected glasses, if required specifically for work.
All your boss or HR team need to do is register or login for a corporate eyecare account. They can also download our brochure for more information about our corporate vouchers.
Specsavers corporate DSE/VDU voucher
Price - £17 per Voucher
What’s included?
A comprehensive eye test to assess vision and eye health.
If glasses are required solely for DSE/VDU use, the voucher provides one complete pair of glasses from the £50 range, fitted with standard single vision lenses plus a scratch-resistant treatment.
It does not give a contribution to glasses needed for additional tasks such as reading or driving.
Additionally, the £50 contribution can be used towards an upgrade to other higher priced frame ranges, when required solely for VDU DSE use and you the employee can pay the difference.
Furthermore, our free Premium Club corporate eyecare voucher offers a further £20 contribution when glasses are selected from the £100 range or above, giving you a combined contribution of £70 and the employee pays the difference between the £70 and the £100 or higher priced frame.
Want to tell your boss where to go?
Your workplace might not know about what they need to provide to their employees, or they might not realise they can save time and money using a corporate eyecare scheme.
We make it easy for businesses to fulfil their legal obligations, and for you to get your eyes checked out at any of our stores across UK and Republic of Ireland. To get your hands on a corporate voucher, access our template and send it onto your boss/HR department to tell them how entitled you are to eyecare through work.
All your boss or HR team need to do is register or login for a corporate eyecare account. They can also download our brochure for more information about our corporate vouchers.
Do screens affect my eyesight and health?
In most workplaces, PC monitors and laptops are the most commonly-used VDUs (also commonly referred to as Display Screen Equipment, or DSE for short). DSE also covers tablets and smartphones, as well as CCTV screens monitored by security staff.
Research shows that working with DSEs does not cause permanent eye damage. However, having to focus on a screen for large periods of time can be very demanding on your eyes, sometimes leading to discomfort and temporary vision problems. It can also bring to the fore eyesight problems that employees had not noticed before, including age-related changes.
There are also wider health risks that can arise from DSE work, including upper limb problems and backache. Injuries are much more likely to arise if employees use equipment for long periods without a break, and where the workstation is not set up properly for the user.
Eye symptoms related to screen use
These are the most reported problems experienced by employees who use display screen equipment:
- Dry or irritated eyes
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty in refocusing from one distance to another
- Strained or tired eyes
- Headache
- Sensitivity to bright lights
Ever wondered if blue light glasses might be the answer to your screen-related vision problems?
Benefits of proper eyecare for screen users
While screen-related eye strain is not linked to permanent ocular damage, it can still take a significant toll on employee health and wellbeing. Eye discomfort and problems focusing can make it much more difficult to concentrate. Tasks take longer to complete and the final output becomes more prone to error.
Proper eye care — including eyesight testing for DSE users and glasses for those who need them — helps to prevent unnecessary eyestrain. It means less discomfort for employees, better morale, higher productivity and a healthier workplace environment.
DSE Regulations
The UK workplace rules for display screen equipment are set out in the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 (revised 2002).
Broadly, these regulations require employers to:
- Analyse workstations where DSE is used, in order to assess and reduce risks
- Provide suitable equipment and make suitable adjustments depending on the individual employee’s needs
- Plan work activities so employees get regular breaks or changes of activity
- Provide training to make sure employees are able to use their equipment safely
Under these rules, an employer must provide and pay for an eyesight test for a DSE user if they ask for one. A ‘user’ is someone who normally uses DSE for continuous or near-continuous spells for up to an hour at a time on a daily basis (i.e. the vast majority of office workers or people who work from home).
If the test shows that the employee needs glasses solely because of DSE usage, the employer must pay for those glasses.
It’s up to employers how they provide the tests. They could let users arrange the tests and reimburse them later. However, for consistency, ease of admin and cost-effectiveness, it’s usually far easier to deal with all tests from a single, reputable source. This is one of the main reasons why the Specsavers Corporate Eyecare vouchers are so successful with employers and employees alike.
Businesses can download our brochure to learn more about Display Screen regulations in the UK.
Find out more
Do you or your employees regularly work with screen equipment? If the answer is yes, read our expert’s advice about blue light glasses or discover more about our DSE eyewear vouchers here. If you work in the public sector, find more information about your access to Specsavers Corporate Eyecare package.
