2020 Vision

| Posted On Sep 17, 2020 | By:

2020 with eyeglassesMost optometrists and ophthalmologists were really looking forward to 2020, the perfect year for vision puns. Instead, 2020 has been far from a lighthearted year, from the COVID-19 pandemic to civil unrest. Even more, eye care services have been limited during this pandemic. But as Massachusetts reopens from the COVID-19 lockdown, we want to make sure you know that your eye health is as important as ever.

Are you having more eye strain from increased screen time or extra stress? Need a new eyeglass or contact lens prescription? Need an eye exam? We are here at Atrius Health to help you and keep you safe. Here’s how.

Routine Eye Exams. We are doing routine exams and checking for eye diseases, like glaucoma, for all patients. This is very important as early detection and treatment of conditions like glaucoma are key to maximizing your eye health and vision. Other eye conditions also require time-sensitive treatment, such as age-related macular degeneration. When medically necessary, we are performing dilated examinations as well as baseline dilated examinations for new patients.

Eyeglass and Contact Lens Correction. We can also provide routine exams to update eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions. With proper hygiene and usage, contact lenses can safely be used during this pandemic and can provide relief from eyeglass fogging while wearing a mask. However, diligent contact lens hygiene is crucial, such as hand washing before and after contact lens insertion and removal. If you wear planned replacement contact lenses (e.g., change biweekly or monthly), your doctor may suggest changing your cleaning regimen for maximum disinfection or discuss a possible refit to 1-day disposable contacts. While not all patients can use 1-day disposable lenses, they are a great option for many and aid in lessening risk of infection. Do not try to “reuse” a 1-day disposable lens and never sleep while wearing your contacts.

Urgent Eye Care Needs. If you have a new or worsening eye condition and need care, we are here to help you. We have trained phone triage staff who can determine the best pathway to care for you. Telehealth visits are available for some eye care specialists, and staff can determine if a telehealth visit or in-person visit is appropriate.

Safety in All We Do. We want you to feel safe and comfortable at your eye appointment. Every exam room is thoroughly sanitized between patients, and this includes anything that was touched by either a patient or the clinician. Masks are required to be worn at all times in our buildings by all staff, clinicians, and patients. Hand washing is being done regularly. Plastic shield barriers have been placed on equipment to lessen chance of any exposure. And 6 feet of social distancing is required in our common spaces.

If you have an eye care need, please contact us today. We are here to help.

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About Dr. James P. Hahn

Dr. James P. Hahn has been practicing primary care optometry at Atrius Health for more than 20 years. He received a Ph.D. in visual psychophysics and color vision from Brown University in Rhode Island. Dr. Hahn then earned his Doctorate of Optometry from The New England College of Optometry in Boston. After completing his residency at the Brockton and West Roxbury Veterans' Hospitals, James joined Atrius Health. While Dr. Hahn has worked at many of our locations, he currently works at our Quincy and Braintree locations. Dr. Hahn sees children and adults for routine eye care and has a large contact lens fitting practice. He fits both cosmetic contact lenses as well as specialty, medical, scleral lenses for a number of corneal diseases.