Gas up - Let's Go! Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 For the last few weeks I've been getting real bad tension headaches, but only when I'm working at the VDU, so I get a voucher from work and off down to SpecSavers (works choice not mine!) for the test. After poking me in the eye with a blast of air, half blinding me with a bloody flood light (well his torch thing!) he tells me I don't need specs to use a VDU - but I do for reading. I can sit on a night and read a book from cover to cover with no problems at all, ten minutes infron of a VDU and I can feel the strain - what the phook are these people on? I asked the optician, why then do I get strain? "you need spec's" but you've just said I don't, "yes you need them for reading, and they will help with the VDU" but I don't have a proble reading "you have sfasdgahdsghfa (no idea, optician talk)" so can you make a prescription for the VDU ? "no, you need them for reading" but I can read all night without any problems, "that is what is causing your headaches" but I don't get then when reading..... "come with me" - off down the sairs to a rack of £169 frames, "wait here and I'll get someone to help you choose" but I'm not happy that you.... he walked away and sent over a chuffling assistant.... I said politly to the assistant that he was a an awfull optician and I was leaving. So, why didn't I just get the spec? simple. If I need glasses for workin gin front of a VDU then the law says your employer must supply these (these are very basic glasses, nothing fancy, bottom of the range stuff), but if I need them for reading then they don't. My company is fine with this, as long as the optician say's it's for VDU then I can have a pair 'from the £45 range', if they are for anything else (like read as well) then I get to spend £169 !!! I'm not saying that the optician was being dishonest, but I find it very hard to part with a big pile of cash when he could have said , these are the prescription fo rthe VDU. Thankyou for listening - if you do go to specsavers (like you should have done) then good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted November 17, 2008 Moderator Share Posted November 17, 2008 Ive got to get some work glasses too from specsavers, trouble is ive lost my vouchers (but thats another story), i am so not looking forward to these safety specs, ive had them before and like you say Darren, they are the bottom of the range, i usually pay a heck of a lot of money for my lenses in order to get them to weigh something bearable, i know that these "safety glasses" are gonna weigh a ton, might have to get some scaffolding to hold my chin up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Goff Posted November 17, 2008 Moderator Share Posted November 17, 2008 Cant you get those screen covers that go over the VDU anymore? They used to lessen the glare therefore lessening (and often eradicating) the strain. This might help too: VDU Health and Safety Regs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedOrZed Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Cant you get those screen covers that go over the VDU anymore? They used to lessen the glare therefore lessening (and often eradicating) the strain. they were always crap, Goff, and modern screens shouldn't need them. Hard to clean, they didn't fit properly and generally a nightmare To the OP - find a decent optician, you DON'T have to use one that work recommends. You might have to pay the difference for the eye test - Specsavers is something like £15 and the optician I use charges like £19, but it'll be worth it. Also, you work should pay for the part of the prescription that is for VDU usage, you shouldn't get the whole cost. I hope you get someone who can explain the problem you are having with it becoming gobbledegook. Also, seriously consider how you sit at the screen.Your 'elf and safety bod should be able to do an assesment. Your back must be straight and you shouldn't look down at the monitor, it needs to be raised up quite high. A wrist rest is a great help - you should keep your forearms fairly straight. I had back and neck problems an got referred to a specialist who said all my problems were caused by me sitting badly! She was right, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted November 17, 2008 Moderator Share Posted November 17, 2008 I don't think specsavers are as good as people say. I went there today, and told the optician that I think I'm a bit short sighted. "Short sighted," he said, walking over to the window. "Do you see that round orangey thing up in the sky?" he asked. "Yes, it's the sun," I replied. He says "That's 93 million miles away. How fucking far do you want to see?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark h Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Same old story, The wife and i went to Spec Savers To get hers, Arm and a leg job, Don`t think shes had them on yet, The point is, We lived on tenerife for many years, Before coming back, I "resupplied" Had a long eye test, Two sets of bins Cleaning gear, the whole shabang, ( all for under a pound ya no), 90, euro`s about £50 then, So WHY are things so bleedin expensive here, Sorry, I`ve been told not to get agitated. AND ANOTHER THING........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas up - Let's Go! Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Cant you get those screen covers that go over the VDU anymore? They used to lessen the glare therefore lessening (and often eradicating) the strain. This might help too: VDU Health and Safety Regs Ah, Goff, the voice of reason & justice. We have this rammed down our throats on a weekly rota, I work for BT (not the phone side) and this stuff is more important to them than actually delivering the goods to the customer (might explain why we're issuing profit warnings, and the share price in in the ground). The VDU, is a flicker free, wide screen, none reflective - I work at it all day long, so I made the purchase myself. Bloody expensive and exceeds all the reccomended guides. But thanks for your response, you really are quite a bright girl (when your not chastising some idiot) To the OP - find a decent optician, you DON'T have to use one that work recommends. You might have to pay the difference for the eye test - Specsavers is something like £15 and the optician I use charges like £19, but it'll be worth it. Also, you work should pay for the part of the prescription that is for VDU usage, you shouldn't get the whole cost. Our lot will pay the full cost - as long as the optician reccomends it - that's the problem, they go beyond thier obligations but it's conditional. The statute says they have to provide free eye tests - if they want to they could get an optician to come in and do the whole office. It's a bad law. Yes I can go elsware, and I will - if the prognosis is different then I'm going to take it up with my HR idiot I hope you get someone who can explain the problem you are having with it becoming gobbledegook. Me too - used to wear specs for driving years ago - found an old guy who was brilliant, loads of experience and didn't need an overpriced piece of automatated 'lens changing' machine to check me out. He's probaly retired, or dead now. Also, seriously consider how you sit at the screen.Your 'elf and safety bod should be able to do an assesment. Your back must be straight and you shouldn't look down at the monitor, it needs to be raised up quite high. A wrist rest is a great help - you should keep your forearms fairly straight. I had back and neck problems an got referred to a specialist who said all my problems were caused by me sitting badly! She was right, too! I had back problems in my early 30's, since then I've been very particular about posture. It's worked, not suffered for over 10 years now. It's good advice is that. I don't think specsavers are as good as people say. I went there today, and told the optician that I think I'm a bit short sighted. "Short sighted," he said, walking over to the window. "Do you see that round orangey thing up in the sky?" he asked. "Yes, it's the sun," I replied. He says "That's 93 million miles away. How fucking far do you want to see?" This is probably about the level though! Same old story, The wife and i went to Spec Savers To get hers, Arm and a leg job, Don`t think shes had them on yet, The point is, We lived on tenerife for many years, Before coming back, I "resupplied" Had a long eye test, Two sets of bins Cleaning gear, the whole shabang, ( all for under a pound ya no), 90, euro`s about £50 then, So WHY are things so bleedin expensive here, Sorry, I`ve been told not to get agitated. AND ANOTHER THING........... There's always ' another thing' - story of my life sometimes, I feel like Victor bleeding Meldrew! I was speaking to my old man last night, he has safety specs, and it's the same story with his lot, a specsavers voucher. He goes to Boots and gets the prescription then hands it in to specsavers and get the glasses. He has to pay the eye test, but he's not bothered as long as it's right. we live and learn..... Should've gone to SpecSavers - and got riped off............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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