During the pandemic, we have had a lot of emails and phone calls asking us if it is safe to get an eye exam and be fitted for eyeglasses with the coronavirus outbreak. The answer is YES!
Optical shops across the country have adapted to a new customer and patient experience that prioritizes hygiene and safety without sacrificing the quality of care. There are now enhanced safety protocols that have been put in place to help ensure everyone stays safe and healthy.
So, are eye exams considered essential?
We think the obvious answer is yes. Being able to see well is clearly essential. Interestingly enough, there was some gray area regarding routine eye exams in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended March 17 that all health care providers suspend routine care.
That is what lead to many of the big-name optical shops to respond to the confusion cause by the coronavirus. For instance, LensCrafters, which lists its COVID-19 safety policy on its website, says essential care includes “trauma, vision loss, pain, redness or an exam required for eyeglasses due to a lost or broken pair.”
Visionworks lists as essential eye care “illnesses or injuries that require prompt attention and/or when patients experience sudden changes in eye or visual health.” And Pearle Vision’s COVID-19 statement defines essential care as including “trauma, vision loss, pain, redness or an exam required for eyeglasses due to a lost or broken pair. For routine annual exams, please revisit your appointment needs at a later date.”
What steps have been taken to help ensure everyone’s safety?
Eye care certainly has changed in the past few months much like others in the health care industry. Here are some of the precautions and other safety measures that are commonly found in optical shops:
- Eye exams by appointment only. While some shops may still allow for walk-ins, it is a better idea to call ahead and schedule a time for an eye exam. Many optical shops are staggering appointments further apart in order to limit the number of patients per hour and to allow time for a thorough cleaning after each exam and to adhere to CDC social distancing guidelines.
- Personal protective equipment. Eye doctors, examiners and other optical professionals will be wearing gloves and masks to protect their patients and customers. Customers themselves will be required to wear a mask as well to help ensure the safety of optical shop employees.
- Washing hands regularly. Doctors and associates will regularly wash their hands throughout the day and certainly clean their hands before every patient and customer interaction. In addition, hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes will be available for everyone in store.
- Thorough disinfecting. Surfaces will be routinely disinfected throughout the shop and each pair of frames will be cleaned after each customer tries them on and when a customer purchases eyewear, it will be thoroughly cleaned before leaving.
- Social distancing. There may be times when more than one customer will be in the shop at the same time. At no time will you be asked to sit or stand near another customer. If necessary, you may be asked to wait outside or in your car so that a waiting room can be kept under capacity.
- Digital intake forms. Check with your optical shop before arrival to see if they offer intake forms that can either be submitted electronically online or that can be printed out at home and brought with you. This reduces the number of touch points and also speed up the exam process.
What optical shops will expect from customers.
Until we have a grip on COVID-19 infections, everyone has a responsibility to keep each other as safe as possible. Many coronavirus safety precautions have become common courtesies these days. All optical shops will expect ther customers to do the following:
- Wear a mask. Wearing a mask has become state mandatory when visiting most public places. Optical shops will be no different than any other health care or retail store. Please wear a mask.
- Reschedule if sick. If you are feeling any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been around anyone that has it, please reschedule your exam and refrain from visiting your local optical shop.
- Avoid coughing or sneezing. If at any time during your visit or exam you need to sneeze or cough, move back from all exam equipment. Place your face in the crook of your arm or cover your face with a tissue. Wash your hands with soap and water right away.
- Remain socially distant. Please be respectful and stay at least 6 feet apart from others while at your exam or being fitted for new glasses. There may be time during an exam that this is not possible, but please do your best to make it a main concern.
The new reality has been a massive adjustment for everyone. While we all get used to it, it is appreciated by all that we take safety precautions seriously. Hopefully, the world can return to a somewhat normal state. We will continue to monitor CDC guidelines and make changes as appropriate to ensure the safety of the entire optical community and its customers.
