Eye Tests
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) users can obtain a voucher for an eye and eyesight test. In order to obtain this, two forms need to be completed. Firstly, a workstation risk assessment should be completed by the individual and returned to Health and Safety. Please refer to the website for their details and to obtain the form.
Secondly, please ask your manager to complete and return the OH form and send it to the ohadmin@ljmu.ac.uk. The OH Unit will issue you a voucher to arrange an appropriate eye and eyesight test with an approved Optician via the university e-mail.
DSE does not cause any damage to eyes or eyesight. The purpose of testing vision and assessing workstations is to enhance comfort and efficiency. Minimum standards for any workstation are as follows:
- Adequate lighting
- Adequate contrast, no glare or distracting reflections
- Distracting noise minimised
- Legroom and clearance to allow postural changes
- Window covering, if needed, to minimise glare
- Software appropriate to the task
- Adjustable, stable, readable, glare free screen
- Adjustable, legible keyboard
- Work surface space for flexible arrangement of equipment and documents
- Stable, adjustable chair
- Footrest if user needs one to reach the floor
Activities of DSE users should be planned so that daily work is periodically interrupted by breaks or changes of activity in order to prevent fatigue and to vary visual and mental demands. Such breaks should occur at least once every hour.
DSE users will only be offered special spectacles where normal spectacles cannot be used and the result of a vision test shows this is necessary. Special spectacles are those that are prescribed specifically to correct vision defects at the viewing distance for DSE work. These are only needed for a small minority of people.
Multi-focal spectacles can cause adverse health effects due to repeated adjustments to the head and neck position or adopting awkward posture. The decision with regard to the most suitable spectacles will require information about the nature of the work, the workstation and workplace layout. If repeated adjustments to the head and neck position or adopting awkward posture are necessary to use multi-focal spectacles, then these should be avoided.
For further information, please see the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Training document.