Many employers are failing to meet health and safety regulations by not paying for eye tests and the full cost of basic spectacles for employees who require them when using a visual display unit (VDU), such as a computer.
Eight-out-of-10 (81%) employers are only making a contribution to the cost of an eye test and glasses, if required solely for VDU use, even though the regulations state the entire cost must be covered, according to Specsavers' Eyecare Policies Research.
Only 28% of the 270 employers surveyed have an eyecare policy for their staff, and almost one-fifth (17%) do not have, or do not know if they have, an eyecare policy for employees.
The findings also reveal that 58% of employers fund eye tests for VDU users only, while almost one-third (29%) offer eye tests to all employees. One-in-10 (10%) do not offer any company-funded eye tests.
The communication of eyecare as a benefit could be improved. More than one-fifth (21%) of employers which offer the perk do not communicate it to staff, instead leaving employees to find out the details for themselves.