Posted By John Mackessack
Dear Fellow Sufferers,

Season's greetings!

I am conducting a review for my company into the way we administer eye tests and how we supply DSE 'eyewear' and safety glasses. Ultimately, we want to ensure that we have the slickest, most cost-effective service, fulfilling our legal obligations and also giving employees some decent choice.

I have been looking at some of the voucher schemes from the major high street opticians and it all looks very good. Can anyone share their own experiences of such schemes, or indeed, offer alternative approaches?

Obviously, please be careful with responses, so as not to upset the AUG moderators - please contact me directly if there are any individual companies that you recommend or wouldn't touch with a bargepole!

Many thanks!

John

Posted By Lynne Ratcliffe
My experience was a bargepole! It may be workable if you have a single site but with 32 sites across the UK sending out prepaid vouchers resulted in staff not going for their vision tests, being entitled to free vision tests and our not getting back any unused vouchers as there was no 'procedure for us to do that'. An estimated overspend of 35%.

Posted By Christopher
Hi John

Many organisations have their OH department undertake the tests for DSE use. It is only if the individual insists that they have their test undertaken by a registered Optician that you will then incur this external cost. To be honest they don't usually know that they can make this request. You could even insist that you will only pay for the DSE part of the test. I undertook some research when I worked in Further Education as to whether opticians were up to date on the legislation and was stunned by their responses. I negotiated a contract with an optician, and we had an excellent relationship. Not so easy if you have staff spread out, unless of course you use a national chain.

Everyone thinks that they are entitled to this test. I would suggest that this is good practice. What you have to ask is 'how important is their use of a PC?' How much would a mistake in reading the screen cost your company.

Have a lovely Xmas.

Posted By anon1234
I'm slightly concerned with the response from Christopher, although I may be misinterpreting what he is saying:

1. use of OH departments to undertake the tests - are they competent and do they have the right equipment, I'm guessing the answer in a lot of cases is no, but in some cases it may be yes

2. You should be advising all DSE users of their right to a test and how they go about getting one done by a competent person if they want one

3. You have to pay for the whole test - how can you say/determine which bits of the eye and eyesight test aren't relevant to DSE

4. Every DSE user is entitled to an eye and eyesight test

5. the issue is not about making mistakes on the screen but about employee health

Posted By angelae
OH staff ARE NOT qualified to carry out an eye test for DSE users. Eye tests in an OH dept are merely for guidance. They are not diagnostic. This can only be done by an optician. The DSE Regs make this obvious with repeated reference to optometrists, Optician's Regs etc
An "appropriate eye and eyesight test" as stated in the DSE Regs requires an eye test and eye examination. This is not something an Occ Health Advisor should be expected to do. As an OHA myself I ALWAYS refer to an optician

Posted By Ken Taylor
The OH Department may carry out initial screening but the test requires an optometrist.

As to multi sites, I just sent a pack of Vision Express vouchers to the local H&S Co-ordinator at each site with instructions on how to complete and use them.

Posted By Calum Clark
Eye examinations in Scotland are free. DSE eye examinations are not. I'm not quite sure how you differentiate between the two but the optician can charge for a report if you are going to try and claim specs from your employer.

A lot of our employees (we are north of the border) go to their own optician as its now free. However, as soon as the employee or optician mentions DSE we send them to our preferred optician and pay the reasonably small bill for the test and report.

Calum

Posted By Nigel Sobotta
Hi John,

I use the high st voucher scheme and it does work very well. If trying to administer the system on several site then it would be best to get other people to administer theses at the respective areas.

Posted By Philby'
Lilian,

the focal length and reading distance is generally different from the long distance test/examination and the reading (book/newspaper etc) distance....

and the test I had four weeks ago detected a difference/need at the DSE distance and not at the other extremes, ergo glasses for that distance. I'm now used to them and do not get tired eye, still itch though!

All,

have to agree with the comments about high street voucher schemes, I've good experience of them being used in the past and 'we' are now looking to introduce here.

Philby'