Keep an eye on your workforce
October 1st 2008

It is now 16 years since the Government legislated to protect the vision of Britain's growing army of workers who spend much of their time gazing at computer screens or other VDUs. But research has shown that many companies still fail to comply with the 1992 Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations explains Mark Raines, director of corporate and retail development at Specsavers That means that thousands of employees all over the UK could be risking damage to their eyesight because they aren't adequately protected against prolonged exposure to the glare from equipment such as PC monitors and till displays.

In essence, the rules insist that employers provide employees who use VDUs with eye tests, when requested, and glasses, if needed.

The legislation was initially passed following a scare in the 1980s that radiation emitted from computer screens was potentially damaging to the eyes. Since then research has failed to demonstrate that VDUs can harm the eyes. Even though the worst fears have subsided, the regulations remain in place. While the motivation behind the original legislation is open to question, with computers now an essential everyday tool for a large proportion of the workforce, regular eye-tests do offer a valuable health check and source of reassurance to staff.

A survey carried out by Specsavers, of over 100 health and safety professionals reveals that 21% of them either didn't have, or didn't know if they had, an eyecare policy in place for their staff. That suggests that businesses all over the country are likely to be in contravention of the 1992 regulations' requirement to provide eye tests, on request, to all screen equipment users. Such tests will include an examination of the health of the eye. If any injury or disease is detected the user will be referred for a further examination provided through the NHS.

It is often assumed that eye-tests must be conducted either annually or biannually. What the regulations actually stipulate is that the professional guidance of the optometrist should be followed. In practise this is often a two-year test cycle, but it will depend entirely on the condition of the patient, and must be respected by the employer.

There is also provision in the regulations for any screen user to request an eye-test at any time as a consequence of visual difficulties experienced in the course of their work. In responding to such requests as in the case of eye-strain, head-aches or migraines there is undoubtedly the opportunity to avert unnecessary fears, and even detect new conditions. However, the regulations state the condition of reasonableness, so frivolous or excessive claims can be legitimately resisted.

Employees sometimes incorrectly believe that they can choose which opticians to visit, but the regulations are quite explicit in this respect, allowing employers to nominate a particular optometrist at their discretion.

There is no provision for employers to fund the cost of contact lenses for screen work, and in many cases opticians advise that even the most modern and forgiving contact lenses are not ideal for extended periods of VDU work, due to the drying effect that they can have on the eyes. A regular contact lens wearer who is prescribed glasses for VDU use is not compelled to wear them by the legislation, but will at least have the option if they begin to suffer from dry or irritable eyes.

Bifocal or varifocal lenses are often found to be unsuitable for VDU work, as it is not always possible to see the screen clearly without lowering or raising the head, which can lead to other problems such as neck pain. The basic requirement is to provide single vision spectacles suitable for viewing a screen at the appropriate distance.

To comply with the regulations the employer must pay the full costs of an eye-test and the provision of basic spectacles where required.

In setting up corporate eyecare arrangements with an optician, employers are protecting themselves from such a risk, by agreeing in advance the cost for both eye-tests and glasses with the provider. Corporate eyecare voucher schemes are increasingly popular, and tend to be highly cost-effective. They can be arranged through a diverse network of affiliated opticians, through a single local optician, or with a national chain.

All of these measures will ensure companies' compliance with the regulations, and help keep employees fit and healthy. And that clearly matters to the overwhelming majority of UK firms. One of the most encouraging findings of the Specsavers survey was the 73% of respondents who said that they were happy to provide eyecare because they were anxious to be a responsible employer, and not simply because regulations were in place.

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