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Should My Employer Be Paying For My Eye Examination?

by with No Comment AdultsEye HealthEyecareUncategorized

Working with Display Screen Equipment (DSE) can be visually demanding, and the strain on your eyes can lead to the diagnosis of unknown eyesight issues. Screens themselves do not actually damage your eyesight, however they can cause eye discomfort, tired eyes, headaches, and temporary short-sightedness.

If you have noticed any issues whilst working with screens, it is advisable to arrange an eye test, and the law states that employers must arrange tests for DSE users if they request one.

Who qualifies for free employer eyesight tests?

To qualify for a free eyesight test from your employer, you must be a user of display screen equipment. This means that you must spend at least 1 hour per day using a screen as part of your role. According to the Health and Safety Display Screen Equipment Regulations, any employee who uses a screen at their workstation, on a numerical control display, at a machine tool or even at a supermarket till is classed as a DSE user.

If you are a DSE user, you will be entitled to a full eyesight test, which will include a vision test and an examination of your eye. The employer can decide how to provide the eye test, so you may be reimbursed immediately after the test or within your next pay, or you may be asked to attend an optician selected by your employer which they will pay for directly.

Am I entitled to free glasses through my employer?

If your eyesight test shows that you require glasses specifically for use with display screen equipment at the distance you view your workplace screen, your employer will be required to pay for the glasses. However, if your ordinary prescription is suitable for use with your workplace screen, your employer will not have to pay.

How can I reduce the impact of DSE work?

Although your employer may not have to pay for your glasses, they can help to reduce the impact of DSE work. Whether you work at a screen for an hour or for the majority of the day, it is visually demanding. Your employer can help by providing equipment which can be properly adjusted and positioned, ensuring lighting conditions are suitable for working and by providing regular screen breaks.

Your employer has a responsibility to ensure that you can safely perform your job, so if you are concerned about eye strain or eye fatigue, speak to your employer about your workstation setup and an eye test.

Book your eyesight test today!

It is not just traditional office workers which are affected by long periods of screen use, as many roles today involve the use of DSE equipment. With the average adult on in the UK spending 9.5 hours looking at a screen, it is more important than ever to take care of your eye health.

Here at Realeyes Opticians we offer competitively priced eyesight tests and eye examinations, with a range of glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses available. To find out more, please contact your local branch today.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Guidance

Clich here for more information on our corporate partnerships

Closed eyes

What is the Fastest Way to Cure Blepharitis?

by Eye ExamEye HealthUncategorizedWellness

Do you find you have crusty, flaky, red or irritable eyelids? That’s what we call Blepharitis, a type of eye infection. Find out what it is and how you can cure it. 

Do I have blepharitis?

Sometimes you may find your eyes are burning, sore or stinging or your eyelids become puffy and greasy. For many of our patients the symptoms are worse when you wake up in the morning. You may find your lids stuck together or an ulcer or stye around your eyes.

How can you help me?

Although blepharitis sounds really painful and dangerous, it really isn’t. If you are concerned you can book an appointment with our optometrist would will recommend a course of treatment. In the meantime, we recommend you avoid eye make-up and being in atmospheres that are smoky.

We also recommend you follow this three step routine to relieve the symptoms of blepharitis:

Step 1 - Warm Compress

Close your eyes and apply a warm compress to your eyes for 5-10 minutes and given them a quick massage afterwards. This will open up the blocked glands in the eyes and and ease the symptoms. You can use an eye bag to help you.

Step 2 - Keep your eyelids clean

Use special lids wipes and wipe your eyes from the inner corner to the outer corner of your eyes twice a day. This will help clear the infection. We recommend Blephaclean wipes which are available in all our stores.

Step 3 - Lubricate

We may ask you to lubricate your eyes with eye drops, after you have completed the above steps. This will replace the ‘tears’ and lubricate your eyes to make them feel more comfortable.

In severe cases you may require antibiotics in addition to the above but we always recommend you seek our professional advice when it comes to Blepharitis.

Am I at risk of blepharitis?

You can get Blepharitis at any age but it is more common in people aged over 50. As you get older, the glands in your eyelids that secrete the special substances can become blocked more easily. Your tears then contain fewer lubricants and your eyes can feel gritty and dry,

Blepharitis causes discomfort in the eyes but it’s rarely dangerous. If you are concerned about blepharitis you can book an eye examination and we’ll be happy to check it out for you and recommend a course of treatment.

If you are concerned about Blepharitis you can book an appointment to see one of our opticians at your local branch. 

Book an appointment now
Driving

Help! I Can’t See Properly When Driving in the Dark

by Eye ExamEyecareGlassesLensesPartershipsUncategorized

Driving at night is a chore and with the winter months setting in faster than we’d like, most of us will be driving to and from work and school runs in hours of darkness.

Do you find the oncoming headlights really difficult to navigate? Do they shine bright into your eyes and you struggle to see blinding you whilst you are driving?

Night time driving has been deemed the most visually demanding task you will encounter. Road casualty statistics show 40% of road collisions occur in the hours of darkness.

We’re always looking for ways to help our patients see better. The good news is we have partnered up with Seiko vision to bring you a great coating we can add to your lenses called RoadClearCoating.

It significantly reduced irritating glare and reflections from oncoming traffic, wet surfaces and other similar things.

The coating can help reduce ghosting effects and haloing around lights when night driving, improve your ability to see and contrast, reducing eyestrain and fatigue.

Older drivers benefit from the road experience but as we get older we can face difficulties with contrast sensitivity, light and dark adaptation, glare, colour perception and restricted field of view; and these difficulties are often exaggerated when driving at night.

It is therefore essential for the older driver to have a regular eye examination and to discuss the lens options and features that will benefit them and enhance their vision for driving at night.

Our highly qualified staff can carry out a comprehensive eye heath examination and help chose the right lens for night time driving.

Top tips for night drivers:

  • Ensure you are wearing the most up to date prescription in your eye wear – if you’ve not had an eye examination in the last two years, please book an appointment.
  • Avoid wearing dark or tinted lenses, but instead ensure you have a good anti-reflection coating on your lenses.
  • Keep your windscreen clean inside and outside.
  • Check your wiper blades for wear and replace if necessary.
  • Check your headlights are working and are clean.
  • Keep a spare pair of glasses in the car.

We want you to arrive safely at your destination when driving at night. Book an appointment for an eye examination and we can help you drive better at night. 

Book An Appointment With Us
Optician

Why Independent Opticians Are Better

by EyecareHealthUncategorizedVisionWellness

Choosing an independent optician is clearly the right choice. Most of us would agree that our eyes are the most important of our senses and losing your vision would be awful.

People who enjoy excellent vision often wonder whether they really need to schedule an eye exam. But an eye exam is just as much about checking the health of your eyes as it is evaluating how well you can see. Independent opticians, like us, put eye health at the forefront of their services and here’s why we think you independent is best:

Dedicate time

Independent opticians can dedicate the time needed to give you a thorough and properly explained eye examination rather than a rushed job. We avoid booking as many patients into our clinics as high street opticians, so we have time to talk to you as a human rather than a person on our database and are not rushing to see the next patient. Some of the discoveries made in our testing rooms have been potentially lifesaving and they have come through checking patients’ eyes thoroughly and deeper conversation after the test have been completed. You can find our more about the importance of an eye examination here.

Create the right environment and team

Independent opticians want to put together a team of experts that work well together and will strive to give their patients exceptional service. When you visit your independent optician you want to be examined by a highly qualified and professional optometrist who has the ability to explain the tests they are carrying out and answer any questions you may have, giving you peace of mind. You want to choose your glasses in a relaxed and friendly environment where our team can help you pick a pair of glasses that suits your personality and lifestyle. So, we choose people who have the ability to help you achieve your glasses goal. We also want to make sure that we have an efficient team on the back end who look after the day to day running, ensuring your glasses are ordered, checked and delivered on time and call you back when your next eye examination is due, never missing any eye related conditions. Collecting your glasses is also a big deal for us so we spend time making sure everything fits perfectly and you can see clearly.

Get to know you and your family

You will usually see the same familiar faces at independent opticians and they will take the time to get to know you and your family. This can help to make you feel at ease if you are nervous about a particular eye problem that needs monitoring on a regular basis. When you and your family start building a bond with your local opticians, we start to connect the dots with your family’s medical history. Some eye conditions are genetic and can be passed down generations. Knowing the genetic conditions a parent has, allows us to monitor your children and their eye care closely with greater awareness.

Work with local communities and businesses

Independent opticians get excited by this. We work with local communities sponsoring local sporting teams, running events at schools and bringing the business community together. It’s important for us to support local businesses in looking after their employees so that they can work effectively and comfortably. At Realeyes, we work with alongside the Vision Care Partnership (VSP) that gives employees access to eye care services and added value on a range of eyewear, contact lenses and eye care products. When you visit a VSP network optician you gain access to a great range of savings across your eyecare services taken care of under your benefits allowance. Find out more by clicking here. We also work with companies in the area to offer a competitive corporate plan so that employees can have their eye examined.

Is My Company Enrolled on the VPS programme and How Can I Access It?

Invest in Specialist Equipment

Like with any specialist independent store in any industry, independent opticians will spend money on specialist equipment. The leader in the field is the OCT – 3D eye scan which offers in depth analysis of the eyes and can detect conditions up to four years in advance. Independent opticians will have specialist knowledge and equipment to help you diagnose eye related conditions and offer the right course of treatment or point you to the right specialist. Directors of independent opticians, like us, will most likely be optometrists or work closely in the field. They have a vested interest in optometry and furthering their studies in eye related matters – so it’s not just a job for them!

Run Specialist Clinics:

Independent opticians will have the time and expertise to offer specialist clinics. For us, this would include clinics like a dry eye clinic, helping patients who suffer from sore, watery, uncomfortable eyes that feel gritty at times or a visual and learning clinic where we can help children and adults who come to us complaining that when they are reading books the text moves, they get tired reading or they get headaches, eye strains or even migraines. These clinics are a vital part of your eye health. We can give specialist advice to computer users easing their eye strain.

Create a love for fashion

Independent opticians can spend time looking at fashion house across the globe and choosing the latest pair of glasses that suit the community they serve. You’ll find some stores carry more exclusive brands because patients come is asking for something a little more unique. We spend time getting to know our customers and their fashion sense and choose frames accordingly and train staff to offer the best glasses to suit face shapes. We partner up with the likes of Gucci, Tom Ford, Ray-Ban, Oakley to others alike to bring you the latest designs.

 At Realeyes we love looking after your eyes. We love talking to you about the best solution for any eye health or vision problems and uncovering solutions together that will help you see and feel better. 

We want our customers see the best and look the best whatever they do in life. The right lenses can help ease the workload and make you more efficient in all parts of your life.

Click here to book an appointment with us today
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Is My Company Enrolled on the VPS programme and How Can I Access It?

by EyecareGlassesHealthUncategorized

Realeyes The Eye Clinic has become a well-known provider of one of the best Vision Service Plan (VSP) insurances on the market. We work alongside the health insurance company to ensure you get the best possible eye care service. We can style you with a great pair of glasses as well. 

What is VSP Eye Insurance?

VSP is a vital insurance plan that ensures you get the best optical care when you need it the most. Not only because it’s handy not to have to fork out thousands on designer specs you can’t really afford two weeks into your paycheck, but also because they invested millions into the best optical testing which can detect diabetes, diseases and tumours. Getting your eyes tested through your VSP plan could potentially save your life. 

Do I qualify for VSP?

Individual plans are not available at present. You could be eligible for a VSP if you are an employer or if you have a health care company or private healthcare plan. You’ll be seen at your local independent optician at Realeyes which has major benefits over high street chain. Use our checker below to see if your company is enrolled on the programme ↓

What Benefits Will I Get?

You would be entitled to the following: 

  • Eye Exams 
  • Glasses
  • Corrective Lenses
  • Contact Lenses
  • Special Lenses For Glasses

Benefits do vary for each VSP plan so please check your plan to see what you are covered for. 

VSP eye examinations are particularly important if you work in front of a computer. Your opticians can offer you computer glasses, which are different from regular eyeglasses or reading glasses, and they provide several solutions to optimise your eyesight.

Why Realeyes?

As a VSP optometrist, we are committed to providing personalised service and the best possible care to help you see well for life. We’re knowledgeable, helpful and friendly and will get to know you and your family. Through this personal relationship, your optometrist will be able to offer high quality eyecare and health care.

People who enjoy excellent vision often wonder whether they really need to schedule an eye exam. But an eye exam is just as much about checking the health of your eyes as it is evaluating how well you can see.

Access data UK Limited, 

Balbec Capital LP(UK), 

Bluebay Asset Management Corporation Ltd, 

Citadel Securities (Europe) Limited, 

Elan Capital Management LLP, 

Fortress Investment Group, 

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Partners LLP, 

OANDA Europe LTD, 

PG CIQ UK Private Limited, 

Prosek UK Ltd., 

Proxima Procurement Ltd., 

PulsePoint INC, 

Stripe Payments UK Ltd., 

Acacia Communications, Inc., 

Aerie Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited, 

Aralez Pharmaceuticals Trading DAC, 

Blockdaemon Limited, 

Citadel Enterprise Management, 

Dimension Data, 

EJ2 Communications, 

Technology Ireland Ltd., 

KKR Credit Advisors (Ireland), 

ReliaQuest Ireland Limited, 

Stripe Payments Europe Ltd. (IE), 

Strongbridge Ireland Ltd, 

ViaSat Ireland Limited, 

Camida LTD, 

PicMonkey International Ltd, 

Zeltiq Ireland Unlimited Company, 

Noden Pharma DAC, 

Amazon UK Services, 

Ancillare LP, 

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 

Cheniere Marketing, 

CNA Services, 

Concentrix Europe Limited, 

Information Services Consulting Limited, 

Jacobs UK Limited, 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, 

N.A., Keypath EducationUK Limited, 

KPMG UK Limited, 

Lmax Exchange, 

Mundipharma International Limited, 

Nomura International Plc, 

Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, 

Qualcomm Technologies International Limited, 

Skyworks Solutions Ltd., 

Two Sigma International Limited, 

Universal Music Operations Ltd, 

Apple Europe Limited, 

Google UK Limited, 

Allergan Sales LLC, 

Bon Secours Health System, 

Cook Ireland LTD., 

Fitbit International Limited, 

LAM Research, 

M2M Telematics Ltd, Madison Logic, 

PHI Consulting (Ireland) Ltd, 

Regeneron Ireland, Riot Games

SquareSpace Ireland Limited, 

Apple Europe Limited


Login and make sure you are enrolled on VSP website https://vsp-uk.co.uk/

Book yourself in for an eye examination and bring VSP member ID number and we’ll do the rest! 

We’ll tell you how much you are entitled to and talk you through your benefits. Just remember to bring in some form of ID so we can identify you and keep your VSP account safe!

Click here to Book Your Eye Examination