[Computer eyeglasses--aspects of a confusing topic].

With the coming into force of the new Austrian Employee Protection Act the issue of the so called "computer glasses" will also gain added importance in our country. Such glasses have been defined as vision aids to be exclusively used for the work on computer monitors and include single-vision glasses solely intended for reading computer screen, glasses with bifocal lenses for reading computer screen and hard-copy documents as well as those with varifocal lenses featuring a thickened central section. There is still a considerable controversy among those concerned as to who will bear the costs for such glasses--most likely it will be the employer. Prescription of such vision aids will be exclusively restricted to ophthalmologists, based on a thorough ophthalmological examination under adequate consideration of the specific working environment and the workplace requirements of the individual employee concerned.