Posted By lewes
Under the DSE Regs we are required to pay for eye tests and for special corrective appliances, where applicable.

I understand the element towards the test but need clarification on the corrective appliances bit.

How can you determine that corrective appliances are required because of DSE work and not just through the person getting older or any out of work acivity ???

Does the company have to pay for the whole cost ??

What happens if the person is Long Sighted and needs glasses for close work anyway, does the company have to pay all costs or just an element ???

Thanks for any input

Posted By Descarte
since no one else has posted I will give you my experiences with my past employers, eye tests are free, and a variable amount (differing with employer) is paid towards glasses, this has ranged from 35 - £50. You can buy pairs of glasses from about £20 from boots but as people want various styles etc they can front extra money towards them

If the glasses required for close up VDU work are also required to be protective / safety lenses then this would count as PPE and the employer would have to front up the whole cost

Posted By renown
Lewes

Have emailed you direct, hope this is helpful

Renown

Posted By Mike Herbert
Can anyone tell me if contact lenses are corrective appliances in the terms of the regulations

Posted By Dave Wilson
Start

1 Is the person a 'User' of DSE if not NO OBLIGATION - User is a person who 'habitually' uses DSE as part of their normal working day. 20 mins a day is NOT DSE use. More than 50% use then they are users.(Debatable!)

2 If a 'user of DSE' and you are approached for eye sight test, first question 'are you suffering any problems?' answer "NO!" why do a test!

3. If answer is yes and a 'user' the employer pays for DSE eyesight test.

4 Send to optician who decides if 'corrective lenses' are required "for working with DSE"! if 'Yes!' Employer pays - however only liable for basic cost - if Gucci required then employee has to pay the difference.

5. same goes for contacts - basic cost of glasses and employee pays the differnence for contacts (only once though if using disposables) Optician will (SHOULD) recommend date for retest

Posted By Jim Walker
Reminds me of an amusing experience .......and being friday afternoon.

It was once my misfortune to work for a company from the land of the rising sun.

Our MD was so incensed at the thought of having to pay for specs he proposed that they be attached to the PC via a chain so the employer could not take them home to use outside of work.

Took us ages to convince him this was a little unreasonable

Posted By Dave Wilson
Agree,

However if all employees who are 'users' want an eyesight test ( which they legally can!) it will cost zillions and just to go for one 'for the sake of it' is not really in the spirit of things. I still say if after a discussion they still want one then do it, however if you can head em off at the past then I would.


We had a free test and classed everyone as a user irrespective, that said the take up rate was very very low and the need for corrctive lenses after this was only a small % of that.

Posted By J Knight
Merv,

Very true, and worth reflecting on, but that's up to the patient at the end of the day,

John

Posted By Merv Newman
John,

I think you posted to the wrong thread. No problems.

Contact lenses are ok in an office environment but not when any kind of chemical exposure may be concerned.

And first aiders should always be informed by people wearing contact lenses.

I had my first (safety) glasses paid by my employer in 1967 (!) (who among you were not even born then ?)

Got the job. First day - interview with department manager. Interview with safety manager. Safety shoes from the stores. Ouch. Appointment with local optician. Who confirmed that I needed prescription lenses. (Wot, me ? At my age ?) Back on site. Told to collect glasses the next morning before coming to work.

Tuesday ? Safety glasses, safety shoes, spiffing white lab coat. Suitably indoctrinated. Ready for work ! At about £50 a month, I think. Riches for a newly married.

And I've never ever paid for a pair of glasses. Used to drill out the rivets so as to remove the sideshields before going home. Now have CE glasses with clip-on sideshields. (wearing them now)

Nostalgia. It ain't what it used to be. But then again, I don't suppose it ever was. (George Orwell ? nah)

Merv