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Home » COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Updates

6/2/2021

COVID Update June 2021

As of June 2nd, Primary EyeCare Associates will go back to pre-COVID protocols. However, we appreciate there are many high risk patients who are not vaccinated and are scheduling ‘high risk appointments’ the first hour each day in all offices. We will maintain the COVID protocols that have been in place since mandated and will happily start our day with masks. Please let our office staff know that you are requesting a ‘high risk appointment’ when you call. As a reminder, please remember to fill out your intake forms along with your signed HIPAA form for a no-touch check in process.

While the regulations have been lifted we will continue to make every effort possible to make your visit safe and efficient. All visits will remain by appointment only for now and are hopeful we can get back to full schedules and reduced delays in our services as soon as reasonable.

The Doctors and Staff at Primary EyeCare Associates.

 

11/13/2020

COVID Update November 2020

Due to the increase in COVID cases in Ohio, Governor DeWine has issued a new mandate for all businesses effective Wednesday, November 11, 2020.

Face covering are now mandatory anywhere you go in Ohio with the penalty of forced closure for not meeting mandate. As such, we are now requiring all patients to wear a face covering in all of our offices. If you have an exemption from your doctor, please present it to our staff when you arrive.

All visits will be ‘by appointment only’ and you simply need to call the office you are visiting ahead of time to schedule a pick up/repair of your completed glasses or to schedule an appointment. We are doing our best to have contact lens prescriptions delivered directly to your home, however, if needed, please schedule those pickups as well.

All of our staff continue to wear masks, disinfect all equipment and frames between patients and observe the 6’ for 15 minute guidelines when possible.

This pandemic has certainly not made it easy to exceed your expectations when you visit any of our offices and we are very appreciative of your understanding the inherent difficulties it has created. We are ready to get back to normal sooner than later, but, in the meantime please know we are doing everything possible to make your visit as safe and efficient as possible.

The Doctors and Staff at Primary EyeCare Associates

 

10/23/2020

COVID Update October 2020

Due to the recent increase in COVID cases in our area, we kindly ask your help in mitigating the spread of the virus by doing a few simple things:

  1. Please come to your appointment by yourself, unless a caregiver is needed.
  2. Please call our office to schedule a time to repair or pick up your glasses:
    • Sidney (937)492-2738 for optical appointments
      • (937)492-9197 to schedule eye exams
    • Fort Loramie (937)295-3307
    • Troy (937)339-2115
  3. We are making every effort to mail contact lens supplies to your home when possible.
  4. If you have been around someone who has tested positive and/or have symptoms, please reschedule your appointment.
  5. Please visit our website at primaryeyecare.org and print our ‘Patient Forms’ to complete at home and bring to your appointment, if possible.
  6. We will continue to wear masks and ask your consideration as well.

Our goal is to provide a safe environment for everyone and we understand the inconveniences created by the pandemic. However, we are trying to make informed and common sense decisions so we can continue to meet the eye care needs in our community.

The Doctors and Staff at Primary EyeCare Associates

 

5/27/2020

Effective Monday, June 1, 2020 at 9:00 am Primary EyeCare Associates will launch our second phase of re-opening our offices. Our office hours will return to our previous hours excluding Saturdays. Saturdays will be on a rotating schedule between the Sidney, Fort Loramie, and Troy offices.

Also, for all optical repairs, pickups and adjustments they will continue to be by appointment only until further notice. Please call our office to set up those times if you are in need of any optical assistance.

We will continue to wear appropriate PPE and ask you to consider as well when visiting our offices. Please limit companions, we have a limited number of people allowed in our buildings until the order is modified. Social distancing must be enforced while visiting our offices as well. In addition, please visit our website at www.primaryeyecare.org and download patient forms to be completed before your appointment. If you are unable to download forms, please call our office and we will mail them to you.

To our vision therapy patients, please continue to be patient with us as we are still developing the proper and safe therapy guidelines. We will be contacting our therapy patients in the coming weeks.

The Doctors and staff at Primary EyeCare Associates

Primary EyeCare Associates Temporary Office Hours Effective June 1, 2020

Sidney

Monday & Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Tuesday & Thursday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Saturday: Rotating every other (Fort Loramie and Troy offices will be open when Sidney office is closed)

Fort Loramie

Monday & Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Tuesday & Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Saturday: Rotating every other (Sidney office will be open when Fort Loramie and Troy offices are closed)

Troy

Monday & Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Tuesday & Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Saturday: Rotating every other (Sidney office will be open when Fort Loramie and Troy offices are closed)

The Doctors and Staff at Primary EyeCare Associates

 

5/5/2020

Effective Monday, May 11, 2020 at 8:00 am Primary EyeCare Associates will launch our first phase of re-opening our offices. Our office hours will look a little different during the next few weeks and all visits will be by appointment only (exams, pickup and adjustments).

We will be wearing appropriate PPE and ask you to consider as well. Please limit companions, as much as possible as we have a strict limit of number of people in our building until the order is modified. If you would please fill out paper work at home, you can download our forms at www.primaryeyecare.org.

Our first goal is to reschedule patients’ whose appointments were cancelled beginning March 23rd. If you had a previously postponed appointment, we will be in contact with you in the next few days/weeks. If you are unable to reschedule at this time we will work with you to establish a timeframe that best meets your individual needs.

New appointments can still be scheduled and we are estimating we will be caught up by the first week of July. We fully understand that this timeline coincides with our back to school demand and will do everything we can to accommodate your needs. We are also aware that our recall dates will now be off by a couple of months so those of you requiring medication (or contact lenses) refills the state regulations have been temporarily amended, so please let us know if you are in need of anything until we can get back to our normal routine.

As always, if you are experiencing any pain or loss of vision these emergency visits will always be worked into our schedules as needed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the office at 937-492-9197.

The Doctors and staff at Primary EyeCare Associates

 

4/29/2020

We could not be happier to hear that Governor DeWine has lifted the ban on routine eye care!

We are diligently working to re-open our offices in a timely manner while also following the guidance from the CDC, ODH and our state optometric association. Over the course of the next several weeks we will be reaching out to those patients who previously had appointments postponed. We are doing our best to give regards to those who have patiently waited and will be calling you according to doctor and service availability.

However, if you have an eye emergency or are experiencing pain or loss of vision please do not hesitate to call the office at 937-492-9197.

Thank you for your patience and we are looking forward to seeing you!

The Doctors & Staff at Primary EyeCare Associates

 

3/20/2020

As of Saturday, March 21, 2020 Primary EyeCare Associates will be closed indefinitely do to the COVID-19 Crisis. We fully understand the implications of our decision and will be available for emergency medical eye care throughout the duration of the pandemic.

Anyone who already has an appointment will be contacted in the order they were schedule over the coming days.

Those patients who have glasses or contact lenses on order will be contacted as well when their order is received. We will mail all contacts and glasses orders to your home.

We are committed to do what is best for our community, state and nation to limit the spread of this virus and get back to normal as soon as possible.

Please be patient with our limited support staff during this time and know they will be doing their best to handle every aspect of your needs as best possible.

Emergency Office Hours

937-492-9197 or 1-800-882-2264

Monday -Friday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

All our best,

The Doctors of Primary EyeCare Associates

 

3/18/2020

For everyone’s safety and to minimize COVID-19 exposure, no patient companions are permitted in our clinic at this time, with the exception of essential caretakers.

If you required a driver for your appointment, please have them wait in your car and we will notify them when you are ready.

This protocol should be followed for those patients picking up eyewear, contact lenses or needing a repair.

 

03/17/2020

Contact lens wear is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic as long as proper hand washing and disinfecting procedures are followed, according to three experts quoted in a press release from the Centre for Ocular Research & Education.

“When using contact lenses or spectacles, careful and thorough hand washing followed by hand drying with unused paper towels is paramount.

“For contact lens wearers, this should occur before every insertion and removal,” they said.

The three also emphasized the importance of disinfecting spectacles and glasses, as the corona virus can remain on hard surfaces and glasses for hours to days.

They recommend discontinuing contact lens wear when sick and said that spectacles are not proven to offer protection.

” Lyndon Jones, PhD, DSc, FCOptom, FCAHS, DipCLP, DipOrth, FIACLE, FAAO; Philip Morgan, BSc, PhD, MCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA; and Jason J. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, said in the release. is director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education at the University of Waterloo in Canada; Morgan is chair of the division of pharmacy and optometry at the University of Manchester, U.K.; and Nichols is associate vice president of research and a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.

 

03/16/2020

To Our Patients,

Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking all our patients who are considered high risk, to postpone non-essential excursions outside their homes in order to reduce risk of contracting COVID-19. This includes anyone over the age of 60, pregnant or nursing mothers, and anyone who is immunocompromised.

Although our office staff is vigilant about following all CDC and AOA guidelines, sanitizing all surfaces and eyewear, disinfecting all equipment, and common areas (reception area, bathroom, door handles, etc.), we nonetheless wish to avoid risking the health of our most vulnerable patients with unnecessary exposure to others who may be contagious but asymptomatic.

In an effort to further protect our patients and staff, we ask that you all are mindful of the following precautions:

  • If you are sick, please stay home. If you have had contact with someone who is ill or are caring for someone at risk, please defer your appointment.
  • If you have an ocular emergency or any urgent issue –please call us to schedule a telephone consult. If the doctor determines that he/she cannot resolve an urgent concern without seeing you in person, we will arrange an appointment for you in our office.
  • If you or your child are out of contacts or have broken or lost your glasses, and cannot get to our office, we can almost always fabricate and ship a replacement set, as we have your measurements on file.

Until further notice the office remains open for all your needs, including emergencies.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this difficult time as we all work together to keep our community healthy and safe.