Unless you have done something like break your glasses or you feel you have an eye problem now is not the time to see one.

I go every year since I have diabetes, gotta check those guys. I felt safe, everyone wore a mask and would not allow me to be in places unless I was called.

I would not hesitate to return.

Yes, I went in mid November. Felt quite safe. Was required to wait outside until it was my turn to go inside.

Yes, I even took the train into center city to see him. I lived to tell about it. Seriously, they were super careful and I felt safe. The waiting room was large and they did not schedule many patients at once.

DH went a couple months ago. He had cataract surgery just before the first shelter in place. He 's been there several times. I plan to go to my eye doctor ASAP since I am due for an exam now that the holidays are almost over. No I am not afraid to go to an eye doctor dentist, or most specialists. I do want to stay away from urgent care centers, ERs and doctors offices where I am more likely to encounter sick people. DH did see the doctor once but it was during extended hours and the office was pretty much vacant except for the doctor and his nurse. If you didn't know it was open for business you would think it was closed.

I feel like I have a problem. I woke up a couple of times unable to open one eye--stuck--dry eye. This is new. I've been using eye drops. I have to do it a couple times int he night. I am talking to PCP tomorrow. I think there are a couple of things going on. 1) I really need new glasses/prescription. My mom died, time got away from me, the pandemic hit, and now I have serious eye strain. 2)Eye strain made worse by nonstop computer use 3) my heat is on higher than ever now that I live with an elderly person. So, in addition to eye drops, I have humidifier in my bedroom now. I'd like to hold out till i'm vaccinated but not sure if I can.

I went to my opthamoligist in July for a check on the progression of my macular degeneration. Annie, could you have an infection in your eye?

I'm due (past due) for an exam and have been postponing since finding out I could renew my drivers license online...my goal had been to go before Sept, then I checked and saw I could renew my enhanced license for 6 years sitting here in my office. My ophthalmologist is in Seattle, upper story office of several doctors, haven't wanted to go to the city, be in the elevator, waiting area etc.

I feel like my vision has changed, not for the better. I'm managing (with drugstore readers for labels) - I may go after being vaccinated to DH's optometrist who is local.

I think if I had eye strain and dry eye I might go now. Our eyes are so important. Please think about it.

Since you live with an elderly person, I would not go. Do a phone appointment about dry eye.

I went to see my opthamologist this summer, felt very safe.

I talked to my DDS and she said that they are trained to work with HIV patients and the like and she says the dentist is very safe.

Feel that way with the eye doc.

Oh man. I don't think I could put that on my eyelid like that. I am super squeamish. i could barely look at the carton-like photo. I want a pill.

Absolutely I would if I had an issue. I did, actually. I felt comfortable with the way they handled my visit.

I have used a similar brand occasionally and when it warms up it will leak out of the corners of your eye almost immediately leaving only a thin film so I have never understood that huge amount that is shown as most ends up on your pillow.

I saw my ophthalmologist in November in Santa Monica, and the office had extended the waiting room to include the outdoor balcony, which is quite large, and so it was easy to maintain a good social distance. Then I took the prescription to an eyeglasses shop in Palm Springs, but I saw the doctor first primarily because I am at risk for glaucoma, although I do not have it yet. My brother in Texas that is 5 years younger than I am has had it for several years, and he takes medication to keep it under control. Also, my regular glasses were so scratched that it was difficult for me to see through them.

I felt safe both in Santa Monica and in Palm Springs.

I went in Feb last year just before everything shut down as I had blisters on my eye that were not resolving. Things were getting bad regarding covid at the time, few knew what was what. I would go again if needed, but only because there was no elevator or stairs involved. Those two things in a public setting, to me are a deal breaker and I won't do it. Dr's offices are taking extra precautions and I feel that if your situation is needy enough, you should go and I think you will be safe. Eyes are important, so you have to take care of them. The ointment mdln shared should help with your comfort. I use that when my eyes get extra fussy as you describe. It's a nighttime product and may cause blurry eyes, fyi. Clears by morning. It helps. During the day I use Blink eyedrops now in the blue bottle and I wonder where they've been all my life. I've used them all...ymmv

I'd keep ointment in fridge, made it thicker and easier to get a generous amount in lower conjunctival sac. Yes, some would leak out, as it melted, but for good cornea coverage used it generously.

I was to my Opthamologist in December and felt very very safe.

Since you are having issues I would go. If you weren’t and it was a regular exam, I would have pushed it off. I tried to avoid the eye dr because of the pandemic in the spring, but things are just as bad now. I lessened the usage of my daily contacts but over the course of the year I could tell I needed a new rx for my glasses and them so I went. There were no other patients there that I saw. Glad I went. A week later a filling popped out. Teeth cleaning and filling fixed in one appt. I declined pain management to get out the door faster. I haven’t heard of any case of covid being traced to a medical office.

I went this summer and didn't feel real safe. I definitely wouldn't go now as it's much worse here in PA than it was then. I'm postponing my mammogram and dermatologist.

I went to my ophthalmologist last summer for my annual diabetic eye checkup and measurement for eye glass prescription. My prescription changed slightly, but I did not get new lenses as I was able to use my present glasses. The usual virus avoidance procedures were in place. The main difference was an empty waiting room. Patients waited in their autos until called in,

Twice. Two different establishments. SAFE--yes of course. These businesses are on HYPER safety measure drive. They have to be BY LAW. This fear mongering really needs to STOP.

This fear mongering really needs to STOP.

I don't think my fear is unreasonable. My friend's sister is in the hospital. She was on an ECMO for nearly two weeks because a ventilator wasn't keeping her alive. Now she's on ventilator and dialysis and she still might not make it. She is 42 years and she and her husband were super careful. They didn't even grocery shop. I worry for my health and the healthy of my elderly Dad that I care for. While I appreciate the diversity of views on this forum, sometimes comments like that feel insensitive. I am worried about another human being.

I've been super impressed by the extent to which my various medical offices go to protect their patients and themselves during this difficult time.

Here;s my Public Service Announcement to encourage you to go.

When things opened up here in June, I started to call to schedule my yearly appointments. I swear a lot of it was out of boredom looking forward to something to do. So my eye dr was scheduled for late August. I have had no eye issues ever, but I do try to go every year as I had lasik 20 plus years ago, and I am getting older so just want to be monitored. It;s always been a very uneventful visit, and I am told everything is age appropriate and all is good -come back next year. To my surprise, it turned out one of my eyes had pretty elevated pressure. ( I didn't even know this was a thing).

To make a long story shorter, he gave me drops to try and I had to come back in 2 weeks to monitor the progress. It needed tweaking ( changing rx) and so I have been back to them about 5 times since then and when things smoothed down, I am to go every 3 months.

My PSA is that I had no clue that I had "ocular hypertension". The Dr assured me that this was something that I would not know, and that it had not gone on for long. Also, that as long as it is treated and monitored, that I should have no further issues from it. Left untreated for a long time, ( which honestly could have been possible if I had not gone to the Dr) it could lead to loss of vision.

Although pre-lasik I did wear contact lenses, I am also very very squeamish about my eyes so I hear you Anniegriet.

The waiting room is very spread out , chairs are spread out,and they absolutely follow all protocols. Every room is wiped down and everyone is masked. I felt totally comfortable going.

Yes. My friggin glasses broke and I was out of contacts. I felt very safe. My doctor usually only has one patient at a time. Its a very small practice. I've been going to him since I was 12 and can probably count on one hand how many times another patient was in the waiting room.

Yes. Two weeks ago. I needed prescription glasses. They're on order. ☺ The office was really clean and the patients were scheduled far apart, so as not to see one another. The ophthalmologist was gloved.

The odds of getting Covid are fairly small. Your vision is so important, I think you should see the doctor right away.

I have no issue going to an office such as a dentist or chiropractor, that would include an eye doctor if I needed one. I will not go to a GP's office, emergency clinic or hospital, those have the highest chance of direct contact with a covid infected person.

Yes. I went for an eye exam and then went back to get my new glasses. I just went to the dentist this morning. I felt safe in both cases and agree that most of these health care providers are being safe. It sounds like you are having an issue so I would go. But if you get there and see they're only haphazard about their precautions, I would leave and find someone else.

Honestly people.........it is NOT "fear mongering" to be concerned about being exposed to the virus in any public situation outside of your own home!! It is just exercising an appropriate level of caution, especially as cases are currently spiking all across the country. However, I do agree that most medical offices are adhering to very stringent safety protocols and as long as your eye doctor does as well (and I don't see why they wouldn't), then I would certainly schedule an appointment if I had any issues.

It is uninformed and dismissive comments like the above that encourage and promote the development of fear. Ease off, folks - people have a right to be cautious and concerned!

Yes, my son went when he needed new contacts. The office only schedules one patient at a time. Everyone was masked at all times. I waited outside. I felt very comfortable with it. But, obviously, this is a small practice, where they can schedule one person at a time.

I have been to all my doctor appointments as well as MRI's.

It's probably just dry eye syndrome. I have it. I use Restasis as well as the Systane. I also take Theratears Omega for eye nutrition. And, we use a humidifier. All of these things help.

I hear the ointment is very helpful. I just don't need it for now.

All this being said, we can't truthfully diagnose you. I would hate for you to wait and then have a bigger problem when it could be solved early on.

Annegreit, I’m sorry you’re uncomfortable. I may be able to help you. Not medical advice, but experience with bouts of dry eye over the years.

I have experienced a situation very similar to what you describe. In the past 20 years, along with an aging (drying) population, there has been a lot of progress made toward treating the common symptoms of dry eye and related issues such as blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid). Lots of excellent products as well.

I was on the squeamish side too, but now could be walking down a hallway and drop a few preservative-free eye drops into my eyes without skipping a beat or looking. Oh, and erase that image of a tube of ointment (tip) touching your eyelid. IMO, way too much and you don’t want to be touching any tip to your eye (conjunctiva) or eyelid. You could scratch yourself. Ouch.

I have some simple, safe, things for you to try. But first, let me say that it is unlikely that your dry stuck morning eye (lid) to be anything serious. There are a few common, relatively benign, causes for the symptoms you describe.

As to going to an ophthalmologist, it depends on where you live — LA area or northern Maine. I need to get a few eye appointments squared away, but will likely wait until spring or summer.

Here are some simple, largely regarded as safe, commonly suggested by doctors and ophthalmologists as a first line, pre appointment “try and see if this helps” approach. There are various situations that can cause dry eye or stuck eyelids. Often the condition is easily addressed.

FIRST: some caveats. Please do not put any of those get-the-red-out drops into your eye.

Always wash your hands well before and after touching your eyes.

Educate yourself about dry eyes, itchy eyes and eyelid hygiene by going to reputable sights if looking online.

Be gentle when touching your eyelid areas.

With clean hands and a clean folded facecloth, make a warm water (not hot) compress (wring out excess water) for your eyes — apply gently over your eyes for a few seconds. Turn the facecloth to a clean, unused side and repeat. I usually hold mine gently over closed eyes for perhaps a minute. You can rinse in warm water and repeat.

I have my own favorite brands of preservative-free, un-medicated, single use moisturizing eyedrops. There are several excellent brands. I use preservative free because when my eyes were very very dry (much better now), I could not tolerate the commonly used preservative. You do not touch your eye with any ampule tip — instead, just lean or lie back, hold the dropper above your eye and gently squeeze a drop (“distill” a drop) into your opened eye. The unmediated drops are buffered and have the correct pH and salinity to match normal tears, so there is no stinging or odor. It feels great! Gently close your eye and perhaps just let the moisture of the neutral, unmedicated eye drop sit there a few seconds. Optional.

Here is what the single use ampule looks like:

You just snap the top off, and use. Single use == single time use. I’ve been told that I can use more than once, but don’t keep for a day. Because there is no preservative, there is nothing to check any growth of bacteria once opened. And, again, you don’t need to or want to touch the dispensing tip to your eye.

I always have then in my purse, toilet try bag and cupboard, and at bedside stand. So, because I don’t like to run out, I buy large box. But you can but in smaller amounts ;)

There are several good eyelid cleaners. One that I use (when needed) is just a simple, balanced solution that is pumped out onto clean hands from a small bottle. Directions on box and inside.

I apply this to clean hand and just gently massage around the area from where my eyelashes emerge. There are oil glads there that sometimes become inflamed or irritated or need a bit more cleaning than a morning shower. Feels great. No odor, but something faint, clean smelling. Great product.

These products are over the counter and manufactured by companies that have been in the medical eye comfort/hygiene business for decades. They enjoy the confidence of many patients and physicians. I have no relationship to them.

Oh, and over the years, I have had pets (cats, dogs) with dry eyes. I have used the eyedrops on them as well. (Pets and people with dry eyes can tear or get accumulations of goop in the corners of their eyes.

Sterile ophthalmic ointment (as mdln offered, above). I used to use this before bedtime. With clean hands, I’d put a bit of the ointment on my finger tip, then apply to the inside of the lower lid. It kept my eyes moist overnight and prevented them from sticking shut by morning.

I hope you find eye comfort soon, Annegreit.

@petalique, ""image of a tube of ointment (tip) touching your eyelid. IMO, way too much and you don’t want to be touching any tip to your eye (conjunctiva) or eyelid.""

Do NOT touch container tip to eye area - will contaminate container increasing risk of infection. Recommended dose amount for Systene ointment is 1/4 inch; always read medication directions, dose will vary.

Recommended administration method for topical eye medications is: (1) gently pull down on lower eyelid, exposing lower conjunctival sac; (2) look upward; (3) instill medication into lower conjunctival sac. This minimizes blink reflex and is most comfortable - as it avoids the cornea (colored portion of eye), the most sensitive area.

BTW, have been treating patients (and myself) with eye problems more than 30 years

Thanks mdln. Very helpful clarification. I’m sorry if you thought I was disagreeing or challenging you. Yes, I totally agree — not to touch container tip to eye. Two good reasons.

Thanks too for the detailed instructions for administration of topical eye medication.

I went in the fall, but they were not doing the glaucoma "puff" test because of covid. I probably wouldn't have gone ordinarily but my vision insurance was ending soon because of job loss. I had an appt to go back for the glaucoma test in December but got a call that one of the employees at the practice had covid. So I just decided to forego that part of the exam this year.

I went for my annual exam last month. I never even considered not going. And no I was not at all concerned and would go today if that was my appointment date.

Ocular hypertension depending on the degree is the forerunner of glaucoma which happens to many as they age so it is good that it was caught before reaching that stage.

While the various offices may take all the precautions in the world my concern is the hallways and waiting areas before you reach them. I have seen too many people taking off their masks as they exited the various offices when I saw my doctor earlier this year. With this new easier to have version of the virus what people did earlier this year does not count unless the office has an outside entrance and you do not need to use a stair, hallway, or elevator. Again if you do not have to go now is not the time.

I use the Blink moderate to severe drops at night because as my doctor told me people as they age their eyelids tend to droop when sleeping. I sleep on my right side and some morning I can tell the eye is dry and the lids in that area stick together.

I went to my optometrist at the first of December. It was no big deal. I stayed in my car, texted my arrival, someone came out to take my temp, then I waited a few more minutes until they texted me to come in. No one was in the waiting room and I went with the technician straight to an exam room to start the tests. Everything was sanitized before and after I used the equipment.

I have been to all my scheduled appointments and all have been handled with the greatest of precautions.

I have used the Systane ointment mdln recommends after eye surgery. It really is not hard to administer yourself. The drawing is greatly exaggerated for a reason. Systane Balance regular drops are also very hydrating, but if you are having the problems you describe you do need a consult with your doctor Imo.

I have an eye condition and have had 2 ophthalmologist appointments since the pandemic started. They took lots of precautions and limited patient numbers, so I felt perfectly safe.

I went last spring to be sure I wasn’t experiencing a detaching retina. (Turned out to be ocular migraine, no pain.). All wore masks.

I have appointment with PCP tomorrow. I'll see what he says. He is super super super careful.