COVID-19 Policy/Procedures Update

To Our Valued Patients,

This is a lengthy message, but please read it carefully as this affects the care you will receive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your health, safety, and well-being are always our top priority. Given the information from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), WHO (World Health Organization), and our state Optometric Association, we feel compelled to begin to institute a more stringent set of standards concerning interactions with our patients.

We have always had a careful hygienic protocol in our office (using disposable items whenever available, hand-disinfection with every patient, etc.), but we ask for your help with some precautions that go above and beyond our standard process – in an effort to maintain a safe place for one another and reduce the potential spread of this virus.

1. We are asking all patients with symptoms of illness (that may include fever, chills, cough, runny nose, achiness, difficulty breathing) to call and reschedule an upcoming appointment.

2. We will be calling all patients the day before their appointment to confirm. We will ask them if they are confident they are free of symptoms of illness AND have not been exposed to someone with those symptoms in the past week – if they are not confident or have been experiencing these symptoms -they will be rescheduled for at least two weeks later.

3. We will ask any patient (or person accompanying a patient) who comes in with cold or flu-like symptoms to reschedule.
4. We recommend patients age 65 or older, or in poor health to consider rescheduling for May or later – while we do not require this – we are actively encouraging it.

5. We have reduced the frequency of appointments to minimize the number of people in the office and allow for social distancing. This will also provide us time to thoroughly clean in between patients.

6. When possible, please come to your appointment alone or have companions wait in the car.

7. We may ask you to return to your car after checking in to wait for your appointment to minimize the number of people in the office and allow for social distancing.

8. If you need to pick up glasses or contact lenses, please call us in advance to schedule a time. This will help to minimize the number of people in the office and allow for social distancing.

9. We ask all patients to use a hand disinfectant upon arrival.

10. All staff will wear surgical masks whenever they are within 6’ of others.

11. We will disinfect all “tried on” eyewear before returning it to the display.

12. All of our team members will STAY HOME if we develop – fever, chills, cough, trouble breathing. This may require us to RESCHEDULE patients (e.g., if several staff members are out at the same time, or if one of the doctors is not able to come in).

13. We ask patients with RED and/or WATERY-STICKY eyes to call our office for further instructions. COVID-19 can show up as conjunctivitis, so we must be extra careful with this.

14. We will enforce a NO FOOD OR DRINK of ANY kind anywhere in the office. Eating and drinking involves a “hand-to-mouth” motion and may contribute to a “touch”-then-“infect” scenario.

Thank you for your patience, cooperation, and trust during this difficult time as we all work together to keep our community healthy and safe. We will be here to continue to take care of your eye care needs until told otherwise. Please contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

With great thanks,

RedWood Eye Clinic