Eyes On Safety: Updated COVID-19 Safety Procedures

COVID-19 is impacting all of us in unprecedented ways. We have been navigating uncharted waters, just as most of you have been. Complying with state guidance, we are slowly and safely reopening our locations. The governor of Indiana, as well as the CMS and CDC, lifted the restrictions on routine eye care as of April 27.

With that in mind, we are taking every precaution to ensure that we can re-open our doors to our patients with the protocols that ensure the well-being of our staff and patients.

To ensure your safety and that of our employees while continuing to provide eye care services, we have instituted several different measures:

What changes are being made to routine eye exams and other services?

We are reducing the number of exams scheduled and limiting the number of people in the office to comply with social distancing guidelines. If you’re coming in for an exam, please come alone. We are asking for non-patients to wait outside the office or in the car unless you’re a parent or guardian accompanying a minor.

Doctors and staff will be required to wear masks 100% of the time when in our office, and we will be providing patients a mask if they do not have one. Doctors will be wearing gloves when they feel it is necessary to touch the patients and exposing themselves to fluids from the patient’s eyes.

Enhanced screening of patients and staff

We ask that anyone experiencing the COVID-19 related symptoms below to please reschedule your appointment when you are feeling better. Per the CDC, the symptoms we are looking for are:

Fever over 100°F or chills
Dry cough
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat or body aches

If a patient answers yes to any of the 4 questions and they have NOT been cleared by a physician, then they will need to reschedule their visit for a future date.

What is Dr.Tavel’s cleaning protocol?

Our staff is implementing and complying with CDC and ISDH recommended hygiene practices. We are continually cleaning all surfaces, pens, frames, and all clinical equipment with a disinfectant in front of patients to maintain the highest level of cleanliness. Additionally, our doctors and staff will wash their hands after each patient encounter and before dispensing any product.

Can I try on frames at this time?

Yes! All frames after every touch or try-on are thoroughly cleaned with a peroxide-based solution prior to being returned to the frame board. As such, patients will be accompanied by a staff member during the entire frame selection process to ensure each frame is being cleaned.

What if my contact lens prescription is expired?

If your contact lens prescription has expired we would be happy to schedule you for a contact lens exam and fit! If you have a current prescription, you can order contacts online, free shipping included. In addition to the precautions outlined above, we will also be stressing proper care and handling of contact lenses. Our contact lens stations will be isolated with one patient at a time only, thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting after each use.

In light of social distancing protocols and for your safety, we will be suspending all contact lens insertion and removal training. Therefore, we will not be able to schedule any new contact lens fits until it is safe to do so. Because new wearers are asked to touch their face and eyes frequently during the training, we have deemed it unsafe to conduct these processes.

Need to schedule an eye exam?

Even though 2020 hit us with some uncertainty, we are still focused on making this the year of healthy vision. We are committed to helping you see better, feel better, and look better. You can schedule online at drtavel.com or call us at 1-844-GO-TAVEL.

Eyes On Safety: Updated COVID-19 Safety Procedures