May 14, 2021

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With CDC's announcement today, and the NC Governor following suit to relax masking rules for outdoor gatherings and most indoor events, it seems we are on the path back to normalcy.  Over the past year, we have seen a Pandemic shake things up like we never could have imagined.  It's been a tough and interesting road that has affected our jobs, our businesses and our lives.  We at Carolina Eye Care have seen it first hand,  and just like many of you, we've had to adapt to the conditions on the ground.

 

When the CDC made their announcement earlier today, there were a few exceptions where the relaxed masking guidelines did not apply, nor did existing guidelines change.  One of those exceptions was in Medical Practices.  As such, Carolina Eye Care - like other medical offices - continues to follow CDC guidance as of February 10, 2021.  Unfortunately, these guidelines still require masking within the office.  

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Trust me, we don't like it either!  But with the CDC and our NC State Board continuing to make such recommendations, Carolina Eye Care will continue to require masking until directed otherwise.  We really appreciate your cooperation with this.  If you wish to read further, see:

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https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-recommendations.html

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October 19, 2020

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Looking back at our updates beginning in March, I don't' think that anyone expected we would still be dealing with COVID-19 this far into this year.  This virus, though, has proven to be more difficult to manage than had been expected, and it continues to be a real threat to segments of our population.  

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Carolina Eye Care continues to remain vigilant in doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID, and we have been able to maintain a level of safety that has kept our doors open and our patients comfortable at their visits.  We continue to continue with this approach as long as necessary.   Toward this goal, Carolina Eye Care continues to require masks when entering or exiting the office, and when interacting with our staff.  If you have any condition that would limit your ability to wear a mask, please let our staff know on the phone, and in some cases, alternate arrangements can be made.  

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Carolina Eye Care is also able to offer Telemed appointments for individuals who are established patients of our office, and meet certain criteria.  Contact our office for more details.

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May 9, 2020

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Beginning Monday May 11, 2020, Carolina Eye Care will reopen to the public for business.  During the last five weeks, we were available to see emergency and medically necessary visits, but the doors remained locked between scheduled visits.  But while we move towards a return to normalcy, let us not forget that we are not finished with COVID-19 just yet.

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There is still a real concern for transmission of this virus, and our office intends to remain vigilant in our efforts to reduce this risk. Upon reopening, you can expect the following from our office:

 

• We will see routine eye examinations once per hour as compared to our regular schedule of seeing two patients per hour.  This ensures better isolation between patients.  This will likely lead to longer wait times for appointments.  Please be patient with us.

• Between each visit, we will disinfect every surface and piece of equipment you may encounter.  As a matter of practice, we have always disinfected equipment, but during this time this will extend to counter tops and chair surfaces.  We have also removed all magazines from our waiting room, and will ask you to complete necessary forms on paper instead of our iPad system.

• Every patient will have their temperature taken upon entry, as will our staff members.  All staff members and patients will be offered a face mask and gloves (if they don't have their own).  While these will be considered optional, our staff members will wear this PPE at any patient's request. 

• If you remain concerned about social contact, Carolina Eye Care can arrange for prescription extensions and/or Telemedicine appointments (when appropriate) to assist with your eye care needs.  Contact our office for details.

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There's no doubt that COVID-19 has affected everyone, but with time and vigilance we can get past this.  Carolina Eye Care is here for all your eye and vision care needs, so please don't hesitate to call our office with any questions or concerns. 

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April 1, 2020

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Beginning April 3, 2020, Carolina Eye Care will not be open for walk-in visits or pick-ups.  We will continue to be available for:

• Telemed appointments - If you are in need of new Contact Lenses or Eye Glasses, but your prescription is expired, Telemed will allow us to chat with you to ensure there are no contraindications to renewing these prescriptions.  Upon completion of a Telemed Conference, we will renew your prescription, and immediately ship you new contact lenses, or schedule a time for you to come in for new glasses.  

• Contact Lens Ordering - If your prescription is unexpired and you are in need of new contact lenses, you can order directly through www.carolinaeye.net/contacts.  All rebates through our office will continue to be honored, and shipping is free on two boxes or more!

• Emergency or Medically Necessary Appointments - If you are experiencing an eye problem, contact our office at 704-892-3542, and the doctor on-call will determine the most appropriate time to see you.  Of course, if you are experiencing an emergency that can't wait, visit your emergency room or urgent care center.

• New Glasses - If you are in need of new glasses urgently, we will arrange an appointment time for you to come and and select new glasses.  Many prescriptions can be made within 48 hours to meet your needs as expediently as possible.  This applies to patients who NEED glasses urgently.  If your wish to purchase new glasses but can wait, Carolina Eye Care recommends you wait until our office is reopened for regular business.

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The best form of communication going forward will be email at info@carolinaeye.net   This address will be monitored regularly.  You may also continue to call the office at 704-892-3542.  Please leave a message, and we will return your call as soon as possible.

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Thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time.  

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March 23, 2020

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As of today, Carolina Eye Care has launched Telemedicine as a way to see  patients, and to renew Contact Lens and/or Eye Glass Prescriptions.  Under the guidelines of the CDC and our North Carolina Board of Optometry, our office is still open for emergency and medical eye care.  We are NOT, however, open for elective visits or routine visits.  We are hopeful that our ability to open for such visits will be sooner than later.

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In the meantime, though, if you are in need of new Glasses or Contact Lenses, please contact our office to setup a Telemedicine appointment.  In order to qualify for a Telemedicine renewal of an Eye Glass or Contact Lens prescription, you must meet the following guidelines:

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• Schedule an appointment for a Telemedicine Conference and pay for the service fee.

• Be an existing, active patient in our office with a prior examination and contact lens fitting (if requesting a contact lens prescription) within the last 2 years of the date of the Telemedicine Conference.

• Have a reasonable expectation that your vision remains unchanged, or only slightly changed, since your last visit.

• Exhibit no fitting discomfort, redness of the eyes, pain in the eyes, or other significant symptoms related to contact lens wear (if wearing contact lenses).

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If you meet the above requirements, and you would like to renew your prescription through Telemedicine, CLICK HERE to continue the process.

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While we are available in-office for medical and emergency eye care, some of these appointments can be conducted using Telemedicine as well.   In March of 2020, The Department of Health and Human Services relaxed rules allowing a broad selection of Telecommunication technologies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  If you have any eye concerns that prompt you to seek care, it is recommended that you first seek an appointment through Telemedicine.  If, when scheduling your appointment, our staff feels that your condition warrants an in-person visit, such a visit will be scheduled at that time instead of Telemedicine.

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Lastly, in the event that you have an emergent need for new eye glasses, such as lost or broken glasses, you may schedule an appointment to come into our office and select new frames.  It is our desire to minimize person-to-person contact during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and therefore we respectfully as that you abide by these guidelines:

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• When coming in to select new eye glass frames, please schedule an appointment first.  If another individual is already in the office, please wait in your vehicle until the other individual leaves.

• Unfortunately, we will not be able to give you the personalized service we generally strive for.   Once you have selected a frame, you will proceed to the front counter and pricing will be calculated for you at that time while you wait.  During the entire month of April, any eyeglass purchases will be 30% off of retail pricing (insurance exclusions may apply).

• Once you have tried on a frame, please put it in the bin provided so that it can be cleaned before being put back in our inventory.  

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Thank you for being a patient of Carolina Eye Care, and we look forward to working with you as best we are able through these trying times.  If you have any feedback or recommendations about how we can better handle office policies and procedures during this time, please use the "contact us" link on this website to let us know.

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