Eye and Eyesight Testing Arrangements
The Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 place a duty on the University to provide free eyesight tests at regular intervals, when requested by staff who regularly use a computer for their work.
For the purpose of these Regulations, the test of vision should take account of the distance at which the screen is viewed. Staff are advised to measure and inform their Optician of their normal viewing distance. Generally, 50-60cm will be comfortable, but this can vary with individual differences in vision, or the constraints placed on the user by the size of screen or desk.
Staff on the Colchester Campus should contact Occupational Health Service (Tel: 2399; Email: ohquery) for an authorisation form before arranging their eye test. The University has an arrangement with Bethell and Clark, Ophthalmic Opticians (Head Street, Colchester). However, staff may choose to use an alternative optician, for which the University will reimburse up to £16.00 for an eye test.
Staff at East 15, Ipswich and Southend should also contact the Occupational Health Service for an authorisation form before arranging their eye test. Following the eye test the completed form should be return to Occupational Health with the receipt.
Corrective lenses provided for general use or reading, that are also suitable for display screen equipment use, are at the user’s own expense.
When the optician is able to certify that normal corrective lenses cannot be used for display screen equipment work, the University is liable for the cost of basic lenses prescribed to correct vision defects at the viewing distance used specifically for display screen equipment work. Experience has shown this will only be the case in less than 10% of the working population. This prescription may be incorporated in lenses provided for general purposes.