Guide · screen work eye tests
VDU eye tests: what your employer must pay for, and what they don’t
If you use a screen for a big part of your working day, the law says your employer must pay for an eye test when you ask, and for glasses if you need them just for screen work. Here is how it works.
What the rules say
Under the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations, if you are a regular screen user at work your employer must:
- pay for an eye test when you ask for one, and at intervals your optometrist recommends
- pay for basic glasses if the test shows you need them specifically for screen work
They do not have to pay for glasses you would need anyway for everyday life, or for designer frames, though they can contribute and you pay the difference. HSE guidance on screen work.
How to use it
Ask your employer how they arrange it: some give you a voucher, some ask for an invoice or receipt. Book your eye test, tell us it is a screen-work test, and bring any paperwork your employer has given you.
Glasses for screen work
Many people find ordinary distance or reading glasses are not right for a screen, which sits further away than a book and nearer than the TV. Office lenses give you clear vision at screen and desk distance. Office and screen lenses.
Screens, headaches and dry eyes
Headaches, tired eyes and blur by the afternoon are common with screen work, and are often helped by the right glasses and a few habits. Headaches from screens · Screens and dry eyes.
The short version
- Regular screen users can ask their employer to pay for an eye test
- Employers pay for basic glasses needed only for screen work
- Office lenses suit screen and desk distance
- Tell us it is a screen-work test when you book