Morning.

I know you may have been asked this question before, but we have a staff who use tablets to carry out surveys which involve walking around for up to an hour (sometimes slightly more) checking things and inputting information as they go along. My thinking is that this isn't 'intensive' screen work They are encouraged to pre-populate information in the office beforehand using a workstation (stand and separate keyboard).

This question is around eyes and eyesight tests. My understanding the DSE eyesight test is for the distance the screen is used. At a workstation this would be roughly arms lengths away. However, we are also being asked that as these guys also use the tablets on surveys, they would need an additional eyesight test for when they are doing the survey (i.e. half an arms length away). So, do we now need to do 2 eyesight tests?

I have been told that DSE eyesight tests are Posture lead (i.e. sitting upright at the right distance from the screen). If this is the case, the I think the anwer is no.   

Would love to hear if anyone else has come across this problem and how did you resolve it.

Thanks if you can help.        

Thanks Kate. That's given me some food for thought. This is always going to be a sticky one until the DSE regs get updated.

Personally I work across desktop/laptop/tablet and phone. My eye test takes in to consideration these various devices (because I tell the optometrist) and the issued prescriptions reflect this. So I have a pair for driving, a pair for the desktop and another pair for reading. Nothing for the tablet or phone as these fall in to the same focal length as reading.

As the eye test is free when a prescription is issued its cost gets absorbed in to the basic DSE glasses.

This was not the case back when the regulations appeared and an eye test was a specific, chargeable and very expensive undertaking, along with the prescribed glasses.

Two months in and still awaiting resolution (resolution) from the forum webhelp team.

Now know what it was like for Clarence the cross-eyed lion

Edited by user 20 July 2020 18:59:55(UTC)  | Reason: film reference

DSE can apply to anyform of equipment - i dont think it just applies when you are sitting at a desk - but your description of the use of Ipads for me does not pass the test's for the person to be a user and therefore be eligable for an eyetest.