COVID-19 has changed how our office functions. You must read the information on this page if you want an eye exam or plan on visiting our optical shop.
VISITS DURING COVID-19
Click on the links below to learn more
HOW WE’RE KEEPING SAFE
Our number one priority is safety for you and your child. It is also important for our staff and doctors to stay healthy. Eye exams are performed at a very close face to face distance, which makes them high risk for transmitting respiratory viruses such as COVID-19.
Here are some of the procedures that we have implemented or changed in light of current pandemic guidelines:
- All staff members complete a daily health survey
- All staff wear masks and, when necessary, other forms of PPE (personal protective equipment)
- We clean all surfaces that you and your child come into contact with during your visit
- All exam rooms have a HEPA air filtration unit
- Our schedule is reduced to avoid overcrowding
- Your car is the new waiting room – we ask that you text us upon arrival. Our check-in only text number is 862-223-8120
- Parents and children (age 2+) must bring and wear face masks at all times during the office visit
- You and your child will have a verbal pre-visit health screening before your appointment, and a temperature check (non-contact) may be performed before entering our office.
READ BEFORE YOUR VISIT
It’s very important that you read through this entire section before your visit. We have changed our usual routine because of Covid-19:
Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your child’s scheduled appointment time. We are running on a tight schedule to avoid crowding in our office. Once you come into the office you will be seen promptly.
All paperwork should be completed ahead of your visit. Please bring any completed forms (e.g., new patient packet) with you.
Only one parent may accompany their child to the exam. We are not allowing siblings or other guests at this time.
If someone other than the legal guardian is bringing your child to their appointment, a permission note must be emailed to the office ahead of time .
Have your child practice wearing a mask before the visit. They need to be able to keep it on throughout the entire time they are in the office. We understand that this is hard for some children, but all children aged two and older are expected to wear a mask. When scheduling your appointment, please let us know if your child is unable to cooperate with mask wearing.
If your child is administered dilating drops, we will ask you to return to your car to wait while these drops take effect. If your child is not able to easily cooperate with getting eye drops, we may need to perform the dilated portion of the exam on a different day. In that case, you will be provided with a prescription for the dilating drops and given directions for how and when to administer them before the second exam.
MAKING AN APPOINTMENT
To avoid overcrowding, we are booking fewer appointments each day.
You can make an appointment by calling us at 973-422-1230.
We are only allowing only one parent to accompany their child to the exam. No siblings or other visitors are permitted. It is possible for another parent to listen in via conference call if desired.
We are not able to accommodate back to back sibling appointments at this time.
BEFORE APPOINTMENT CHECKLIST
Complete these steps before your appointment:
- If this is your first visit, complete the “New Patient” Packet and bring it with you.
- Bring masks for both you and your child to wear during the appointment. We do not have enough masks to provide them if you forget. All children aged two and older are expected to wear a mask throughout their office visit.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
- Park near our entrance at the far rear of the building. We have a private ground level entry that has our name on the door.
- Text us from your car on our dedicated check-in text line: 862-223-8120. One of our staff members will come to greet you and escort you into the office.
- You and your child must have a mask on before entering our office.
- You and your child may have a non-contact temperature check before entering our office.
- We are not permitting siblings or guests at this time. Only one adult may accompany your child.
VISITING OUR OPTICAL SHOP
All optical shop visits, whether to purchase glasses or to have a repair, are now by appointment only. Schedule an appointment by calling the optician at 973-422-0036 or emailing at [email protected]
When you arrive, please text us at 862-223-8120 from your car so we know you are waiting.
It may be possible to see the optician immediately following your child’s exam. If someone else is with the optician we will ask you to wait in your car until she is free. We will notify her that you are waiting and she’ll call / text you as soon as she’s available.
- Our optician washes her hands before and after every patient interaction.
- All the equipment that she utilizes, including tools, displays and fixtures are cleaned after every patient visit.
- The optical shop has a HEPA air filtration unit.
- All frames are cleaned after being tried on and before being placed back on the display.
- When selecting frames, only the optician will remove them from the display and bring them to your child.
- Small, clear breath shields may be used by the optician to help reduce the risk of virus transmission.
- Patients will be asked to refrain from talking when the optician is close to their face taking measurements or adjusting frame fit.
WE’VE CHANGED OUR APPEARANCE
Like everyone else, we are adapting to the “new normal.” For those of you who’ve been here before, you’ll notice that we’ve removed most chairs from the waiting room and cleared out all our toys, books and stuffed animals from the exam rooms.
Our second waiting area, the “movie room,” is temporarily closed.
We have always tried to look less scary to kids by wearing non-medical looking clothing, but now our staff will be wearing masks and scrubs.
Unfortunately, we are not giving out stickers at this time.
Please prepare your children for this new look and let them know that we’ll be back to normal just as soon as we can!
IF YOUR CHILD NEEDS DILATING DROPS
If your child is administered dilating drops, we will ask you to return to your car to wait while these drops take effect.
If your child is not able to easily cooperate with getting eye drops, we may need to perform the dilated portion of the exam on a different day.
COVID-19 is spread through airborne droplets, and if your child is crying this creates a particularly high risk situation for virus spread, no matter what masks are used.
If you are asked to return for the dilation portion of the exam, you will be provided with a prescription for the dilating drops and given directions for how and when to administer them before this additional visit.
We understand that many children are afraid of getting eye drops. It is not a poor reflection on you or your child if a second appointment is needed and we apologize for the inconvenience.
Parent Comments
Our family is so happy that we’ll be able to stay in touch with Pediatric Eye throughout this pandemic. The safety mesures are being adhered to so efficiently, although we do miss our more personal visits.
– Susan R.
Thanks Again. You all were very sweet! I appreciate all of the safety protocols. This was the first time we’ve had my daughter leave the house and I felt safe.
– Pam W.
Address
22 Old Short Hills Rd. Lower Level-1
Livingston, New Jersey 07039
Call Us
973-422-1230
Hours
Mon -Fri 9:00 – 5:00