Special covid-19 protocols

Updated March 24, 2021

If you plan on visiting our office, please read through this in its entirety.

Thankfully as local case numbers continue to decline, please understand that we are still amidst a pandemic and that the safety of our staff and patients comes before anything else.  Since re-opening after a two month shutdown in Spring of 2020, we have had thousands of patient encounters with zero suspected transmissions.  These protocols are shown to be effective.  

1) Masks will be mandatory in our office at all times.  Many of our patients are elderly, or immunocompromised and deemed high risk.  The same holds true for some of our staff.  Please value their safety, and wear the mask properly over your nose.  Otherwise, we will remind you to pull it up.

2)  Any person that enters our building will be briefly screened for fever, exposure, and symptoms of COVID-19.  If your temperature is abnormal, you will be required to reschedule.   We are requiring that all non-essential caregivers remain in the car and do not enter the building.

3) Our optical department will continue to proceed by an-appointment basis.   If you are scheduled for an examination then this will suffice for an optical appointment as well.  If not, please call ahead to schedule a time to look at new frames, pick up your new glasses, or to have your current spectacles repaired or adjusted.  When shopping, please try to select your frame as quickly as you can.  Keep in mind that every frame that somebody picks up must be set aside for sanitizing and decontamination before it may be put back up on our frame boards.  Our opticians are very good at their jobs, if you trust them they will help speed up the selection process significantly.  You will be allowed to briefly pull down your mask to model the frames, and if you must have ONE family member help with selection, this will be permitted but by appointment.

4) As part of your examination, It is very highly recommended that you elect for an Optomap Retinal examination.  In many cases this will allow us to defer having to use drops to dilate your pupils, will allow for more separation between you and your doctor, and allow you to have a more streamlined experience with us.  There is a charge for this, $29.  Some patients, may still have some conditions such as cataracts that will still be monitored best with dilation.

5) When possible, we will try to do as much pre-screening of current health histories, medications, etc. via telephone prior to your visit.