Glasses for working at a computer monitor are often different from glasses for reading because they are selected so as to ensure the acuity of vision of the monitor screen. It is not always the case that normal glasses are fit to be used for working at a computer as well. It may also happen that a person who does not wear glasses has to wear them to work at a computer.
If during a consultation with an ophthalmologist conducted within the framework of prophylactic examinations, an employee operating a computer is diagnosed with an eyesight defect which must be corrected by glasses, then such employee will be covered by the regulations on reimbursing the cost of glasses. This applies to employees who use a monitor for at least half of their working hours.
If at the last periodical examination the ophthalmologist did not find any eyesight defect and did not recommend wearing glasses, this means that re-examination of the eyesight is indicated at subsequent periodical examinations.
Alternatively, if during the term of the validity of the certificate the employee is under an impression that his/her vision is impaired, he/she can notify his/her employer and request a pre-term referral to be issued for the subsequent prophylactic examination. Such examination will include a consultation by an ophthalmologist which will determine whether the employee’s suspicion is justified or not. If as a result of the examination the employee is prescribed to wear glasses to work at a computer, then he/she will also be covered by the regulations on reimbursing the cost of glasses.
Legal basis:
- Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of December 1998 concerning occupational health and safety at workstations fitted with screen monitors, § 8.
Certificate constituting the basis for reimbursement of the cost of glasses
The basis for reimbursing the cost of glasses is the certificate issued by the Occupational Medicine specialist following the performance of prophylactic examinations. A certificate is issued by an ophthalmologist at the patient’s request outside the cycle of Occupational Medicine examinations.
At each preliminary, periodical, and follow-up examination, if a nuisance factor (the computer) is entered in the letter of referral, the Patient is referred by the Occupational Medicine specialist to a consultation by an ophthalmologist. The letter of referral must indicate the effective number of hours spent by the employee at a computer while performing his/her work.
- When the examination demonstrates the necessity to wear corrective glasses to work at a computer, the medical certificate will bear the stamp “necessary to use corrective glasses while working at a screen monitor”. This stamp means that the employee is covered by the regulations on the reimbursement of the cost of glasses.
- When the examination demonstrates the necessity to change corrective lenses to work with a screen monitor, the medical certificate will bear the stamps “necessary to use corrective glasses while working at a screen monitor” and “necessary to change corrective glasses to work at a screen monitor”. The stamps mean that the employee should change the corrective lenses in his/her glasses and that he/she is covered at the same time by the regulations on the reimbursement of the cost of glasses.
- If the stamp “necessary to use corrective glasses while working at a screen monitor” is entered on the certificate at the previous prophylactic examination, and the current examination does not demonstrate the need to change corrective glasses, then the certificate will once gain contain the same stamp which means that the employee should continue to work at a computer wearing glasses, but does not have to change the pair that he/she already owns.