COVID 19 has changed the way we do things here at Varcoe Eyecare

COVID 19, or the Coronavirus has changed the way we do things here at Varcoe Eyecare.

We’ve learnt about how viruses transmit, and disinfection methods available to keep our staff and customers safe, and have remained available throughout for emergency and urgent eyecare.

When you come to our practice you’ll notice some changes.

We have decided to have a strict limit to the number of people in the practice at any time, so when you arrive you may find that the door is locked. Please knock and we will let you in as soon as we can.

• We have hand sanitiser available for anyone entering the practice at the door.
• We have protection screens at our reception desk.
• We have virus filtering machines in the testing room and the dispensing area.
• Our sofas are cleaned throughout the day with antivirus fabric spray.
• The practice will get a thorough clean every day, and surfaces that are touched regularly will be cleaned regularly during the day.
• We will ask you where possible to pay by card, or contactless payment, the card machine will be cleaned before you need to touch it.

To attend the practice you will need to book an appointment, no matter what you are coming for.

If you need an adjustment or repair no matter how small please phone us so that we can book you in at a safe time.

All members of staff will be wearing masks, when you see any of our clinicians they will be wearing a mask, sometimes they may wear goggles or a visor too.

All staff will adhere to strict hand hygiene between patients and will adhere to all Public Health England and College of Optometrists guidelines regarding PPE.

When you would like to try glasses on then you’ll be very welcome, if you like them then we will keep them aside until you’ve finished choosing, if you don’t then they will be taken away to be sanitised before going back on display.

Where possible we would encourage you to remain at a safe distance, and will only approach you or ask you to come closer to examine your eyes, to take measurements for your glasses, or to adjust them. This will be done as efficiently as possible and then we will move away again.

When booking an appointment we will ask you about any coronavirus symptoms that you may have, and will phone the day before your appointment to check this again, we may also ask you about your ocular symptoms, meaning that when you arrive we can address the problems you are having in less time. The Optometrist may spend a bit less time in the eye testing room than you are used to, but we will be able to offer to complete your test with different methods which could help with this, and mean that we don’t need to get as close as we used to.

If it is necessary to check your eye pressures, we will use a method that does not involve an air puff as this can generate aerosols in to the atmosphere.

When you order new glasses they will be fitted exactly to you so that you can either collect them with little or no contact, or they can be posted to you should you wish, and we agree that it’s appropriate.

Your safety is always our priority, and we will continue to learn and implement changes to keep you and us safe, as well as hoping to give you an enjoyable experience at the opticians.

Finally, we thank you for supporting a local independent business, we realise how important that is and ensure that we get day to day supplies for the business from local suppliers where possible.

Some of our glasses are also produced in Cornwall meaning that by supporting us, you’re supporting other small Cornish businesses too.