03/20/2020
Please follow our Athens Eye Care page for the latest updates. Be safe, and be well!
Effective immediately, Athens Eye Care will be closed to non-essential, routine eye care due to the COVID-19 global health emergency. We will maintain staffing to answer calls, texts and emails, process contact lens orders, and triage essential and emergency eye care needs of our patients. We can be reached via phone and text from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Our physical office will be closed to walk-in traffic.
On March 17, 2020, the CDC issued guidance that all routine eye care should be postponed to reduce the risk of community spread of the coronavirus. On March 18, 2020, Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health recommended that all non-essential medical care be postponed. After reviewing this guidance, we determined that it was in the best interest of our patients, our staff, and our community to cancel all non-essential, routine eye care.
WE ARE STILL AVAILABLE for patients with an urgent eye care need! Please call or text the office and our doctors and staff will triage your issue appropriately. Our doctors are also available after hours for true eye emergencies, such as an eye injury, sudden loss of vision, flashing lights in your vision, or a sudden change in floaters. Please call the office at 740-594-2271 and you will be directed to the doctor on call. If you have an eye condition that needs evaluated, PLEASE contact us first. The last thing we want to do during this crisis is overload hospital emergency departments with eye emergencies that could easily be managed by our doctors.
What does this temporary closure mean for our patients?
* DO NOT come to the office unless you have contacted us and we have cleared you to do so. Our doors will be locked to restrict the flow of traffic.
* If you are currently scheduled for non-essential eye care (as determined by your optometrist), we will contact you to cancel or reschedule.
* If you have a chronic eye health issue or need a prescription refill, our doctors will review your chart to determine if you should be examined or if we can postpone your visit. We can fulfill prescription refills electronically.
* If you need to replace your glasses or contact lenses, and you need an extension on your prescription, please contact us and we can likely extend your prescription in these extenuating circumstances.
* If you need more MacuHealth supplements, ProOmega fish oil, eyelid cleanser, or eyelid heat mask, please let us know and we’d be happy to ship them to you.
* If you have a medical eye condition that needs urgent attention, our doctors are able to use various forms of telemedicine to help assess your situation. If you would like an evaluation by FaceTime or Skype or via phone consultation, please contact us and we would be happy to schedule a virtual consultation with one of our doctors.
We encourage our patients to do their part to help control the spread of COVID-19. Unless you have an urgent need, PLEASE stay at home. If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 that are worsening or unmanageable, contact your primary care physician or hospital emergency department for guidance. Do not show up unannounced unless it is a true emergency. This will allow medical personnel to take the necessary precautions to prepare for your arrival.
Thank you for your support, patience, and understanding. We hope everyone stays safe and healthy throughout this unprecedented situation.