General Information
In most cases, spectacles that are worn in everyday life are also suitable for working at a VDU workstation. The costs of such (universally usable) visual aids are not borne or subsidised by the employer.
In certain cases, however, everyday glasses or privately worn reading aids are not suitable for work at a VDU workstation. This applies in particular to more advanced presbyopia (reduced accommodative range), for example in the following situations:
- Multifocal lenses (bifocals or progressive lenses) worn in everyday life do not allow you to see the screen clearly with a normal (horizontal, relaxed) head position, i.e. you have to tilt your head slightly back and look through the lower part of the multifocal lens in order to be able to work on the screen, which puts unfavourable strain on the cervical spine and neck muscles.
- Reading glasses worn in everyday life do not allow sharp vision at distances between the keyboard (approx. 40 cm) and the screen (approx. 50 – 70 cm).
- Standard reading glasses may provide sharp vision at the above-mentioned distances, but often need to be removed – for example, when sharp vision is also required for people or objects further away in the room.
In these cases, special VDU workstation glasses are required, which must be provided by the employer. The Free State of Bavaria has concluded a framework agreement with the Bavarian Association of Opticians‘ Guilds (Landesinnungsverband des bayerischen Augenoptiker-Handwerks) for the provision of VDU glasses for its employees. This agreement includes a fixed price list.
Please note in particular that only €29 is covered for the spectacle frame. Suitable and durable frames are available within this budget. If these do not meet your personal preferences, you may chose a more expensive frame by paying the difference as your own additional payment. Alternatively, you may also have an older pair of glasses at home that you no longer need and that are suitable for conversion to computer glasses.
To obtain computer glasses at the employer’s expense, the procedure described in this circular (currently being revised) must be followed, and the eligibility criteria must be met based on the occupational health physician’s assessment. Completion of an application form (currently available in German only) is mandatory.
The pre-completed application form (including the required personal data) must be brought along to the screening appointment at the company medical service, together with a confirmation from the line manager and the employee. The screening takes place at Harfenstraße 16. Please remember to bring your current visual aids with you.
Please contact the company medical service (Tel. 85-23666) in advance to clarify any open questions and to arrange an appointment.
Procedure for the application process – please strictly follow the sequence below:
- Contact the Occupational Health Service by telephone, tel. 09131-85 23666.
- Bring the application form (including the completed supervisor’s confirmation and personal details in the form header) to the scheduled appointment.
- It is mandatory to bring all existing visual aids to the medical examination.
- Occupational health assessment to determine whether the requirements for approval of the subsidy are met.
- Have the glasses made by an optician, collect the application form including the optician’s signed statement.
- Submit the fully completed application, the ophthalmologist’s prescription (if available), and the invoice(s), including bank details, to ZUV (Referat H1, Frau Dorothee Heider, Tel. 85 26769; or, Frau Daniela Weiß, Tel. 85 71373) or to the relevant department or the responsible HR officer of the university hospital.
Current announcement in the Bavarian Ministerial Gazette.