Eye doctors and exposure

[sangtarah]

So, I’m not freaking out, just sharing experiences. 
Dd11 had to go to the optometrist. There is only one in our city that works with kids needing vision therapy. I dislike the office; it’s been there for 60+ years and is cluttered and closed. We did VT there a couple years ago. I called and asked about the COVID protocols. We got the “first” appt of the day. The real thing was a bit different than I was led to believe. 
The office staff did have masks, cloth only. There were already 4 masked people waiting when we went in. The receptionist had hers off when on the phone. A man waiting for his family had his off. The optometrist herself had only a loose fitting cloth mask. At one point Dd had to take hers during the exam. There were no air filters. 
We have to go back in 2 weeks; dd needs to do some vision exercises and then we can see if lenses would help her issues. I’m not looking forward to it. It’s the highest exposure we’ve had during this whole pandemic. 
*sigh* Let the countdown begin. ☹️

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, sangtarah said:

So, I’m not freaking out, just sharing experiences. 
Dd11 had to go to the optometrist. There is only one in our city that works with kids needing vision therapy. I dislike the office; it’s been there for 60+ years and is cluttered and closed. We did VT there a couple years ago. I called and asked about the COVID protocols. We got the “first” appt of the day. The real thing was a bit different than I was led to believe. 
The office staff did have masks, cloth only. There were already 4 masked people waiting when we went in. The receptionist had hers off when on the phone. A man waiting for his family had his off. The optometrist herself had only a loose fitting cloth mask. At one point Dd had to take hers during the exam. There were no air filters. 
We have to go back in 2 weeks; dd needs to do some vision exercises and then we can see if lenses would help her issues. I’m not looking forward to it. It’s the highest exposure we’ve had during this whole pandemic. 
*sigh* Let the countdown begin. ☹️

I am so sorry! It didn't have to be that way. That's not very professional. We have been to two specialty eye appointments recently, and both offices were careful. If the patient absolutely couldn't see because the mask fogged up equipment, only the patient unmasked, and it was for as brief a time as possible. 

[Carrie12345]

I am REALLY sorry.
I was mostly satisfied with our eye doctor experience, though not entirely. The employees we interacted with all took pretty good precautions, and the people actually up in ds’s face were double masked.  There was a customer in reception with her nose hanging out though, and that ticks me off. Especially when an old lady ON OXYGEN had just been telling a tech all about how she wasn’t required to wear a mask but does it anyway (and she was.)

When we went back to pick up ds’s glasses, a receptionist pulled her mask down to address me.  Wha???  Fortunately, she was behind a plexiglass barrier and I was pretty far away, but the irony was too much.

[happi duck]

(hugs). I hate the waiting.

[SKL]

Ours asked if it was OK for my kids to take their masks off to help fit their new contacts more easily.  Then he asked if it was OK for him to take his off.

I said fine, we are not worried about catching it, but he should be aware my kids have been everywhere and he might get more exposed.  He was fine with that.

This doc is one of the more holistic healer types ... our chiropractor similarly believes the mask is the least of the ways to fight this or any disease.  The focus instead is on overall general health and strong immunity.

I also noticed a huge difference in the protocols followed at our dentist between last month and this month.  Last month it was multiple layers - mask, shield, making me swish some strange chemical in my mouth - and I wasn't allowed in the door until they screened my temperature and asked a bunch of questions - and then they physically put a huge glob of hand sanitizer on my hands.  This time they asked questions by phone, took my temp after I entered, didn't police the hand sanitizer, and only wore a loose mask on their faces.  Again, I am fine with this, but I was wondering what changed from their side.

Edited September 4, 2020 by SKL

[Spryte]

Wow, OP, that feels pretty lax.  It bothers me when places don’t follow their own protocols.  I’m sorry you had to do it, for the stress of waiting alone.  Ouch.  And you’ll have to go back and start over with the waiting.  Ugh.

We are due for a VT visit - DS and me both.  I’m postponing, and hoping it’s not hurting things.  Last time I was in that office, I contracted Flu A (we know that’s where I was exposed), so my faith in their germ control is low.

If it helps to countdown together, we are in a waiting phase as well because a hospital didn’t follow their own protocols (and the state mandate). I spent 4 hours at the ER with my mom, and a good portion of that there was an EMT right outside her room unmasked and whistling while doing paperwork.  Then my mom was admitted for a few days.  The hospital told us to mask around her, and isolate her within our house for two weeks. It’s created quite the circus of musical bedrooms, masking in her area (she has to walk to a bathroom), and it’s just a mess.  Given that most of us have very high risk factors (esp elderly mom), I’m just ready for the waiting to end!