Conference 7.286::digital

    I don't think eyeglasses are covered, only safety glasses for people
    who need them (job-related).

    Also, questions of this type should probably be asked in RAINBW::ASKENET

    I once got reimburement from John Hancock on a set of glasses -
    I stated (truthfully) that I broke them in an accident, and my doctor
    prescribed them...

    DEC paid for a set of VDT glasses for me.  They were prescribed
    by my eye doctor for magnifying type at 20" - 26".  I had a limited
    selection of frames to choose from.
    
    			Barbara b.  

    
     I had two pair, over a span of 1.5 years but only because of the
    manufacuring environment I was working in at the time...
    
      I don't think it is general practice,
    
    Chris
    

    If you belong to a HMO, at least the prescription (usually around
    $20) is free.
    
    			Rich M.

If your eye doctor prescribes glasses, SPECIFICALLY for using a VDT (not for 
reading, etc.) then DEC will pay for a pair of glasses with that prescription.
You need to check with the medical department to get a form for the doctor to 
fill out.  You then return the form to medical, and they order the glasses.
You get to choose from a limited selection of frames.


>    If you belong to a HMO, at least the prescription (usually around
>    $20) is free.

	That isn't always true - it depends on the particular HMO's policy.
			
Steve

re: -1,

	Interesting policy, I wonder if DEC would reimberse for a full
    helmet to be used as a radiation shield to protect your head (i.e.
    brain) as well from those nasty VDT's?

						-DAV0

>	Interesting policy, I wonder if DEC would reimberse for a full
>    helmet to be used as a radiation shield to protect your head (i.e.
>    brain) as well from those nasty VDT's?

It is left as an exercise for the reader to determine for which 'noters' such
a policy is already too late...
				�;-)		<- brain-damaged happy face

    I suppose if you were working in a facility in which VDTs were
    regularly thrown around, you might be able to get Digital to supply
    you a ``hard hat'' to protect you.
        John Sauter

    
    Actually you need VDT repellent.  Sort of a VDT DDT.
    
    -bs
    
    (Opps, sorry - am I in the wrong Notes file?) 
    
    

    If you can file long form eyeglasses are tax-deductible.
    
    not much a $$ saving but it helps.

    
    
    The office visit and exam are valid claims for J. Hancock if the
    original reason for the visit is something other than a routine
    check: I.E. some form of corneal desease or something in the eye.
    pReimbursement is at the same rate as for other medical if all
    deductibles are met. An accident to the eye is covered just like
    any other accident. Both situation require confirmation from the
    doctor. 
    
    Employees who wear glasses and must have safety lens or othe special
    lens as a job requirement are eligible for one pair of glasses per
    year at no cost for the frame and lens. Get the forms from your
    nurses office, get your exam, (which you must pay for), have the
    Dr. fill out the prescription, Submit the forms to purchasing, Wait
    for delivery. Most of the time you will get your safety glasses
    within a month after the forms are turned in. You do have a choice
    of frames from a fairly decent assortment and you can get the fittings
    at no cost by contacting security at MLO22 and finding out when
    the optometrist is on site. 
    

    I just got called by a personnel person asking for more details after
    somebody told her about DEC-paid "free glasses" after reading this
    conference, presumably this topic or 711.*.  Here is the MAIL message
    I sent. 


    There is a "Health Services Manual" that contains "Health Services
    Policies and Procedures". It is a gray-and-white notebook, considerably
    thicker than the Personnel Policies and Procedures orange book. Each
    health office at DEC should have a copy. 

    Policy 6.03 is called "Video Display Terminal Eye Glasses Policy and
    Procedure".  It is four pages long.  Read it. 

    The manual has a complete description, but here is a short summary of
    how to get glasses needed for video terminals. 

     1.  Go to the nurses' office and get the "AO Safety Products"
         order form.  (This is the same as for ordering safety glasses
         if they are required.) The nurse should have a book filled
         with them.  The form may be different at different sites.

     2.  Take the form to an ophthalmologist or optometrist.  YOU, not
         DEC, will have to pay for this eye examination.  Have the
         examiner fill out the needed prescription on the form.

     3.  Get a purchase order signed by your cost center manager to
         pay for the glasses.  The cc manager is obliged to sign it.

     4.  Take the prescription form and the signed purchase order to
         the "facility optician".  When I did it, for Maynard and
         environs it was Bert Todd, who shows up in the Maynard Mill
         (5-5) on Thursdays.  Check with Health Services for your
         facility.


    I didn't actually go through with getting the glasses because my
    workstation can have a larger character size, and this solved my
    problem a year ago.  However, my eyes are still changing and I am
    starting to have trouble again.  (At least this time I recognize the
    problem for what it is!!!) I may have to get glasses and they may have
    to be bifocals, which can be approved by the policy. 

     twe

From:	BRAT::KELLER        4-APR-1989 16:30
To:	EAGLE1::EGGERS, DPDMAI::BEAN, BRAT::KELLER
Subj:	Re: glasses information

    Thank you both for your really prompt responses to my inquiry.  I have
    gone to the MKO Health Services and there I found the "Video Display
    Terminal Eye Glasses Policy and Procedure", policy 6.03 in the "Health
    Services Manual". 

    Because it is part of the Health and Safety Program, we in MKO
    Personnel were unaware of it.  In smaller sites, where there is no
    Health Services office, it is logical that Personnel would handle
    requests. 

    Would you be kind enough to inform the HUMAN notes file readers the
    same things you sent to me so that they will know what the process is.
    [See note 150.13. twe] Here in MKO, Health Services forwards the
    prescription to the approved vendor, so employees would need to find
    out how it is done at their site. 

    Again, thank you both and you can be sure that I will see that MKO
    employees are informed of this policy. 

    Kathleen 

Re:  .13

>    I didn't actually go through with getting the glasses because my
>    workstation can have a larger character size, and this solved my
>    problem a year ago.  However, my eyes are still changing and I am
>    starting to have trouble again.  (At least this time I recognize the
>    problem for what it is!!!) I may have to get glasses and they may have
>    to be bifocals, which can be approved by the policy. 

First, as an aside I can relate to the issue of changing eyes.  My
prescription has been changed yearly for the past 10+ years.

Secondly, just as a personal experience that may be of use to any of you
who are considering the need for bifocals.

I started out with the bifocals with the visible section (those little 
"buttons") at the bottom of the lens.  For reasons unrelated to VDTs, I 
switched to seamless bifocals about 8 years ago.  Then 2 years ago in 
speaking to my doctor, we both decided that because of my time in front of
a VDT, I should switch back to the visible type.

I bought the new prescription, and after much painful trying to make it work
(sitting in front of a VDT), I switched back to the seamless.  This was
over a 2 week period.  The problem is quite simple.  The focal length of the
visible is too short to be able to have a clear focus sitting a normal distance
from the screen.  I have a tilt screen, but even that didn't work.  Tilting my
head did work, but I got a stiff neck in a hurry.  

Visible and Seamless have different focal characteristics.  I have found that
for driving (glancing down at the instruments), shopping (looking at products
on the shelf), and VDT work, the seamless work better for me.  For reading
the visible are much better, but not enough to offset the disadvantages for
the other uses cited.

Ken

    I am curious.
    
    How is it determined that your glasses are required solely for 
    working at a video terminal?  What kind of presription corrects
    only vision problems caused by using a video terminal?  

    How could you ever justify that bifocals were required to use a 
    video terminal?
    
    I would love to have Digital pay for my glasses, which I only 
    wear when spending long hours at the terminal - but am supposed 
    to wear all the time, so I am wondering about the limits of 
    this policy.  I dont know anyone that isn't much more susceptible
    to eyestrain at a video terminal.
    

>< Note 150.16 by INFACT::GREENBERG "Wendy Greenberg" >
                            -< How do you qualify? >-

 >   I am curious.
    
 >   How is it determined that your glasses are required solely for 
 >   working at a video terminal?  What kind of presription corrects
 >   only vision problems caused by using a video terminal?  


	  If you use a video terminal and wear glasses,you qualify.

	  It is not necessarily the *prescription* that changes,
	  but it definitely the *tint*. Rose tint for green screens,
	  gray tint for white screens and something else (I forget)
	  for multi-color. 

>    How could you ever justify that bifocals were required to use a 
>    video terminal?

	  The glasses are made for a prescription that *you* bring
	  from *your* opthalmologist/optometrist (you pay for the exam).
	  (You can't be expected to change glasses to glance at
	  hardcopy while at your terminal.) 
	  
   
>    I would love to have Digital pay for my glasses, which I only 
>    wear when spending long hours at the terminal - but am supposed 
>    to wear all the time, so I am wondering about the limits of 
>    this policy.  I dont know anyone that isn't much more susceptible
>    to eyestrain at a video terminal.
    
	  Talk to your Health Services people. Procedures and forms
	  vary from formal to non-existent.

	  			
	  			Here's lookin' at you, kid.
	  						Jack		

	Does DEC pay for both lens and frames (which can get very costly)
	or just the lens. If only the lens it's worth it though.

    For information on how to make the characters on your workstation
    larger (and easier to read) see note 143 in the VWSENG::VWS notes
    file. 

    Digital pays for both lenses and frames. You have to choose the frames
    from an approved list. You can't buy paladium frames, for example, and
    experiment with cold fusion on the side. 
    
    This information is all in the Health Services Policy Book referred to
    in .13.  Go to Health Services and take a look at policy 6.03. 

   RE .20

  >  This information is all in the Health Services Policy Book referred to
  >  in .13.  Go to Health Services and take a look at policy 6.03. 

  Just so you dont think some of us are just too lazy to look things
  up on our own.  There IS no Health Services for people in the field,
  at least not in this neck of the woods.  Our very small personnel
  office did not know much about this policy.  The fact that I was able         
  to quote a policy number as well as describe the Health Services Policy
  Book from information obtained in this notes file was extremely helpful
  in getting information from personnel.  
    
  Our personnel office was not able to give me a telephone number of
  anyone in Health Services from whom I might seek more information.
    
  This kind of health and safety benefit, or any other DEC benefit may seem
  everyday for those of you that are in the Boston area, but out in
  the field they are often unheard of, and decreasing your billable
  hours to visit personnel office is discouraged.
  
  Wendy

        Re: .21
        
>  Our personnel office was not able to give me a telephone number of
>  anyone in Health Services from whom I might seek more information.
        
        Something should be done about your personnel office, they are
        incompetent.  I just opened the current Digital Telephone
        Directory to the departmental listing and looked up Health
        Services.  It said (See Medical Department).  Under Medical
        Department, I found: 
        
	        Corporate Manager	          CFO2-3/S89	DTN 251-1314
	        Corporate Operations Manager      CFO2-3/S89	251-1301
	        Employee Assistance Program
	        (see Employee Assistance Program) PKO3-1/K44	223-6391
	        U.S. Field Occupational Health	  PKO3-2/24F	223-5210
        
        This was followed by listings for various facilities.  
        I suspect you should use the U.S. Field number, but any 
        of the others should help you get the information you want. 
        
        					B.J.

    Re: 21
    
    I apologize. I hope the telephone references in .22 will be useful. 
    
    twe