Vision Care Businesses Still Operating During Pandemic

Last month, CDC guidelines singled out vision care and said no to anything routine.

DULUTH, Minn. – Last month, CDC guidelines singled out vision care and said no to anything routine. No routine examinations whatsoever and Minnesota has been following these guidelines.

Relf Eyecare Specialists has been closed except for emergency services since mid-March, but a variety of procedures considered to be emergencies are still being done.

“Injuries, trauma, foreign bodies in the eye, an acute infection that needs attention, things like an abscess in the eyelid might be a procedure that we do in the office or removing foreign bodies,” said Dr. Lisa Graham of Relf Eyecare Specialists.

The clinic is taking precautions to keep patients as safe as possible.

Throughout the day, clinic employees are wiping down every surface and every instrument, along with things like door handles.

Eye protection is also mandatory for workers.

Specialists are listening to informative suggestions from the government about how to keep operating safely during this unusual time. They are glad to keep seeing patients needing special care.

“We’re getting really good science and evidence-based recommendations, which is nice, and we’re anxious to get back to seeing our patients and taking care of our patients. We miss them,” said Graham.

80% of the clinic’s patients are elderly so employees are being extra cautious to keep everything clean and sanitized.