Blog From A Broad

my eyes are dim, i cannot see



This is from the (very lengthy and convoluted) guide to our new company eye plan. According to this, I think it's safe to say that absolutely no one is entitled to coverage.



The following rules apply:

A) SPECTACLES ARE NOT REQUIRED / NO CHANGE IN CURRENT PRESCRIPTION REQUIRED. Self explanatory and therefore, no requirement for the employer to pay for spectacles.



B) SPECTACLES ARE REQUIRED FOR GENERAL USE. In this instance, the patient requires (or currently wears) spectacles for general, everyday distance or reading requirements. Should this patient use a VDU as part of their job, then it is highly likely that they would continue to wear their spectacles whilst performing this task. In other words, they wear spectacles because they require them for duties other than just VDU work. Under current legislation, the employer would not be expected to pay for general purpose spectacles, as there is no element of the prescription directly attributable to VDU use.



C) SPECTACLES ARE REQUIRED FOR GENERAL USE, INCORPORATING A SPECIAL PRESCRIPTION FOR VDU USE. Either the patient is assessed as having a particular requirement for single vision spectacles for the middle distance range necessary for VDU work, or the patent may already wear spectacles but now requires specific help for this intermediate VDU distance. In either case the employer is only liable to pay the cost of a basic single vision appliance which covers the VDU requirement,

The Corrective Spectacle Voucher will fully meet this requirement.



D) SPECTACLES ARE REQUIRED SOLELY FOR VDU USE. In this instance, the patient does not need to wear spectacles for general purposes but does need them to work at the VDU workstation. The simple rule of thumb being that the employee should be able to leave their VDU spectacles at their workstation at the end of the day and not require them for any other purpose. The employer is required to pay for single vision spectacles under the VDU legislation.

The Corrective Spectacle Voucher will fully meet this requirement.



E) SPECTACLES ARE NEEDED FOR HEALTH & SAFETY PURPOSES. In this case, the patient requires 'safety spectacles'.



So if I can prove that I only need glasses to see my screen and for some inexplicable reason don't need them for any other purpose, I can get a voucher towards new glasses. Fabulous. I must find me a crooked optician willing to put "D" on my form.