See to Your Eye Health During COVID-19

You may have put off getting your eyes checked because of the pandemic, but a regular eye exam is important. You can safely get an eye exam during COVID-19.

When COVID-19 first started spreading across the U.S., vision specialists and centers were asked to cut back to only seeing patients with urgent needs. With safety measures in place, they opened again for regular patient visits.

Safety Measures You May See

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance for all health settings, including vision clinics and eye doctor’s offices, on how to safely care for patients during the pandemic. These facilities should follow CDC guidelines  for staff vaccination and cleaning and sanitizing equipment and surfaces.

According to these guidelines, all doctors, staff and patients are required to wear masks during a visit. The doctor and staff giving care may also wear protective shields.

For some vision issues, you may be able to visit your doctor over the phone or online, called a virtual visit or telehealth. For instance, if you have regular check-in appointments for some conditions, your doctor may be able to check how you are managing your condition with a phone call or live video chat.

And while you can’t keep your distance during an exam, the office setting likely will have safety procedures in place throughout your visit.  For example, you may be asked to wait outside until it is time for your appointment. Or the office staff may have you wait in a private exam room rather than a shared waiting area until it is time for your exam. They may space appointments between patients farther apart to allow for cleaning between patients.

When You Should Take a Look at Your Vision

An annual eye exam is recommended by health experts and is covered by health insurance at no cost by most health plans.* People with healthy eyes may wait for the pandemic to pass. But there are times that you shouldn’t wait.

Check with your eye care provider to see if you should come in person for a visit. For example if you:

• Wear contacts or glasses and it’s time to see if your prescription has changed
• Are having problems with your contacts or glasses
• Have noticed your vision is blurry when reading, driving or watching TV
• Need an eye exam for work, sports or school
• Have a family history of vision problems such as cataracts or glaucoma

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends seeing a vision specialist if you:

• Have macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy and get regular eye injections
• Notice changes in your vision (like blurry, wavy or blank spots in your field of vision)
• Have an eye injury, even if it seems minor
• Notice new floaters or flashes in your vision
• Suddenly lose some vision
• Have a red eye or eye pain, especially if associated with headache, nausea or vomiting

Your eye health is important, and putting off some vision care could lead to long-term issues. With many visits available using telehealth and new safety measures in place for office visits, the risk should be low.

*Preventive services at no cost applies only to members enrolled in non-grandfathered health plans. You may have to pay all or part of the cost of preventive care if your health plan is grandfathered. To find out if your plan is grandfathered or non-grandfathered, call the customer service number on your member ID card.

Source: Eye Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19),  American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), 2021; Coronavirus Guide for Eye Patients,  AAO, 2021;  Eye Doctor Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic,  Healthgrades, 2020; Steps Healthcare Facilities Can Take to Stay Prepared for COVID-19,  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021

Originally published August 12, 2020; Revised 2021