COVID-19: Masks Are Required

As of August 3, 2020, Focused Eye Care is operating with a full complement of doctors and staff, including our newest doctor, Kendra M. Phillis, O.D.  We are fully open, still in accordance with health and safety directives from the CDC, the State of New Hampshire, and the City of Nashua.

Included in those directives is a guideline that has been followed at Focused Eye Care since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic – the requirement that everyone who enters the practice – doctors, staff and especially patients – do so while wearing an acceptable mask.

If you arrive at the practice without a mask, one will be provided for you at the door, and it must be worn while you are inside our offices. This requirement applies to everyone entering Focused Eye Care, for any reason: for an appointment with a doctor; for an appointment with an optician; to make an appointment; to pick up glasses, contacts or some other eye care item; or even just to retrieve a patient at the end of an appointment.

If you do not wish to wear a mask, you will be politely asked to leave the premises, and to re-schedule your appointment / time with us until such time as you are willing to wear a mask, or until there are no further directives to do so from any governmental agencies and the doctors at Focused Eye Care are comfortable with suspending the requirement.

We also ask that you consider the following:

• If you do have an eye emergency, by all means call us, at 603-882-0311, and make arrangements to come in as quickly as possible.
• Appointments that are medically indicated will have priority over routine exams, We are making every effort to attend to patients with glaucoma, pink eye, macular degeneration, dry eye, diabetic retinopathy and other eye conditions that should be treated and/or monitored quickly.
• If you are coming to pick up glasses, contacts, or vitamins and other items we keep in stock, please notify us ahead of time, and call or text us at 603-882-0311 when you arrive, so that we can have your items ready when you arrive, reducing your waiting time and allowing us to effectively continue to maintain social distancing protocols in our waiting areas.
• Please do NOT arrive to see our Opticians without making an appointment. In addition to covering the patients for each doctor, they are also scheduling appointments for others with valid prescriptions. If you are coming in or call us for an appointment with a coupon for an expiring offer, we will extend the expiration until such time as we can see you.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect people across the world. At Focused Eye Care, we are determined that it will have as little negative effect on our patients, staff and doctors as possible. We will err on the side of caution in this regard.

Our other efforts on everyone’s behalf include:

• Our door is locked.  The sign on the door says “Our door is locked but we are open”.  Please call or text us when you arrive, at 603.882.0311 – we continuously monitor voice and text to our phone lines.
• We cannot place chairs or other seating outside the practice – they have been determined to be both a safety and a social distancing hazard. We suggest you wait in your car until we contact you to come in.
• We are seeing fewer patients than we normally would, even with a full complement of doctors and staff, in order to maintain social distancing, and to allow extra time to disinfect exam rooms and equipment between appointments.
• As a quick precaution, we are taking everyone’s temperature, using a non-contact thermometer, when entering the practice.
• As stated above, acceptable masks  are required in the office.  If you arrive without a mask, one will be provided to you, but we strongly suggest that you arrive wearing the mask  that you are most comfortable wearing. Please avoid wording or graphics on your personal mask that may be offensive to others.
• The ongoing absence of coffee service, magazines, children’s toys and other non-critical convenience items from the waiting areas is purposeful.
• We are wiping down all waiting areas, the optical shop and exam rooms several times a day, with special wipes that are stronger than alcohol wipes.
• We clean our hands with hypochlorous acid, which is much stronger and more effective than Purell and other OTC disinfectants.
• Choosing glasses is currently by appointment only, as we want to allow you to pick out the frames that are perfect for you without feeling rushed in any way, while we also maintain social distancing protocols in the optical shop. If you arrive to the optical shop without an appointment, we will try to make time and space for you, but cannot guarantee it – it is best if you contact us ahead of time to make an appointment.
• We are sanitizing all eyeglasses frames that have been handled before returning them to the displays.
• For those patients who prefer, we will continue to offer curbside dispensing of glasses, contacts, vitamins and other eye care items, as we are doing curbside adjustments and repairs.
• Telehealth services are will continue to be available, as appropriate.

We will continue to update information about the evolving situation here on our website, on our Facebook, Instagram and Google Business pages, and through patient communication. Of course, you can always call or email us.

We continue to do all we can to keep you safe and healthy. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Your Focused Eye Care Team