From diagnosis to glasses
The procedure step by step
At some point it's time: Working on the monitor is exhausting, you constantly rub your eyes, maybe you get headaches, even though you didn't spend much time walking around the house yesterday.
Your eyesight has become weaker and you may need a visual aid. The employer is obliged to provide you with glasses to a certain extent if the work at the monitor requires it. This means that he pays for the glasses. However, the necessity must first be determined by a doctor.
In principle, the procedure is regulated in the framework agreement between the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Family, Women and Senior Citizens of Baden-Württemberg and the Southwest German Association of Opticians. Unfortunately, it is not clear which optician belongs to the association. The composition changes occasionally. Therefore, please make sure to ask your optician in advance!
You do not have to learn this contract by heart, but it contains important information. So there is no harm in taking a look, especially in connection with the reimbursable costs.
But one thing at a time - and please proceed ideally as suggested below to avoid surprises:
- The better you prepare yourself for the process described below, the smoother you will get your glasses and your money.
- Take a look at the frame contract: it contains important information about the amount of reimbursement for your glasses. For example, if you want a higher-quality designer model, this is possible, but you will have to pay the additional costs yourself.
- If a custom-made model is necessary that goes beyond the scope of the frame, this may be approved under certain circumstances. However, the employer makes the decision.
- Have examinations documented and signed.
- Print out the price list (Annex 1 to the framework agreement) and the order form.
Important!
According to the Ordinance on Workstations (BildscharbV), you are only entitled to reimbursement by your employer for special glasses for workstations if you already wear glasses!
Please make an appointment with the company physician and take the "Order form for computer workstation glasses" with you to the appointment. You will find the form in the download area on this page. If you are already using a visual aid, please also bring this to the eye test!
The company physician will carry out an eye test with you and determine whether you need glasses. If it turns out that further examinations by an ophthalmologist are necessary, she will note this on the form. Please follow this recommendation and make an appointment.
The ophthalmologist will carry out another eye test and, if necessary, apply further diagnostics to determine whether there could be eye diseases in addition to a more common visual impairment such as farsightedness / nearsightedness. It can also already be determined which type of glasses are best suited for you.
Please take the order form, which has already been partially completed by the company doctor, with you. The ophthalmologist must complete the 2nd section and preferably affix the stamp on the right-hand edge next to the section.
The next step is to go to the optician - an optician who is a contractual partner in the framework agreement. If you don't know this, be sure to ask the optician before you place an order! If you go to another optician or if the optician is not affiliated, the reimbursement of the co-payment by the employer can be complicated or even refused.
Nevertheless, you must assume that not all employees of the optician know about the content of the framework agreement and the services according to the price list of the framework agreement. Therefore, in addition to the order form, take a copy of the price list with you and inform the optician about the conditions under which you will be reimbursed.
The optician may carry out another eye test, but this time to find the right lenses for you. In this case, choose the glasses that are right for you and ask for a free quote to be sure. You can also order immediately if the costs are already fixed and within the reimbursable range according to the price list. If the costs are higher because of a custom-made product, please do not order yet and have the cost coverage checked first.
If there is any doubt as to whether the total costs are eligible or if the costs as estimated exceed the framework, the assumption should or must be examined. This is for your security, so that high costs do not remain on you later.
Please contact Mrs. Günther from the legal department with the cost estimate (see contact box on the right side). She will be able to tell you whether the costs will be fully or only partially reimbursed. In this way you will not experience any unpleasant surprises.
If everything is in order, you can now order the glasses. If not, we can still improve the glasses.
Unfortunately, you have to pay in advance when buying the glasses and pay the bill out of your own pocket. Of course you should keep the invoice in a safe place, otherwise a refund is no longer possible.
Please contact Mrs. Günther from the legal department with the invoice (original) and the order form (again). Please make sure that the order form is filled out completely - i.e. at least by the company doctor and optician. Optionally or according to the recommendation of the company physician also by the ophthalmologist.
Please also give Ms. Günther your bank details so that the reimbursement arrives quickly and smoothly on your account.
The better the documents are filled out, the less queries are necessary and the faster you will get your money back.
There is nothing more for you to do now.