Employers must provide eye tests, carried out by a qualified optician, when they are requested by employees who use VDUs.

Staff are at liberty to claim these eye tests at any time if they have experienced headaches or feel their eyes have been strained or damaged as a result of working at a VDU.

It is the employer’s right to appoint a specific optician to carry out the tests.

Eye tests must include a full examination of the eye health, not just ability to see.

If ailments are discovered, the employee is referred to an NHS practitioner for further help.

For new staff, eyes must be tested before work commences.

After the initial consultation, the frequency of the eye exams is at the optometrist’s discretion.

Companies are required to pay for single vision spectacles to view a screen at the appropriate distance.