Eye Care and Surgery family,
We have all been through a lot over the last few months, and are looking forward to returning to our normal routines. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently lifted its March 17 recommendation to postpone routine eye care, stating that it is no longer in effect. Beginning May 5, 2020, our practice will again be scheduling cataract surgery. In addition, on May 11, 2020, we will be slowly resuming routine care. Our providers and staff are hard at work reviewing charts to determine the need for these services and we look forward to serving you in the near future.
Many things have changed, but we at Eye Care and Surgery have been working diligently to ensure that you are both safe and comfortable during your visit in our practice. Our practice follows the infection control recommendations made by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We have tirelessly followed these agencies to be certain we are up to date on any new rules or recommendations that may be issued.
As a result of these recommendations, your visit with us may be a bit different than you remember. Below, we have outlined the steps we will be taking to ensure your safety and comfort during your time in our practice. These steps are intended to keep both patients and staff safe.
- Taking the temperature and asking COVID-19 screening questions of all patients, family, and staff members prior to entering the building. If you have been sick or have a fever, or if anyone in your household has been sick or has a fever, we insist that you reschedule your appointment.
- Option to wait in your car or in our waiting room once checked in. If you choose to wait in your car, a member of our staff will call you when we are ready to serve you. If you choose to wait in the waiting room, please observe social distancing recommendations and attempt to keep six feet apart.
- Use of masks. We STRONGLY recommend that you wear a protective facial mask in our office. Everyone on our team will be wearing a mask. If you do not have a mask, we will provide one for you. However, to preserve our supply, we ask that if you do have one available, you use it.
- Enhanced cleaning process. Our facilities have allocated additional time to sanitize each exam rooms and waiting areas between patients. Because we are seeing fewer patients to allow for this, we ask that you contact us in advance should you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment so that we may serve another member of our practice.
- Limiting number of family members. Only the patient being seen will be allowed into the office, unless the patient is a minor or requires a caregiver. In that case, we will limit to only one person accompanying per patient.
- High-risk individuals. If you are an at-risk patient based on age, immune status, pre-existing illness, etc, but feel you need to be seen, please communicate this to our staff. We will do our best to ensure that the appropriate safeguards are in place.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. We hope to resume full patient care as restrictions are lifted in the coming weeks.
Thank you for being our patient. We look forward to welcoming you, our Eye Care and Surgery family, back into our offices soon.