Survey examines nationwide impact and response of optometry practices during the COVID-19 pandemic

At considerable sacrifice, doctors of optometry continued to deliver emergency and urgent care during this unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, according to a new survey by the American Optometric Association’s Health Policy Institute (HPI). The HPI conducted the survey between April 22 and May 6 to provide a snapshot of how ODs were responding to the healthcare crisis.There were 1,034 responses from doctors practicing in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Among the key findings, 80 percent of ODs were providing emergent and urgent care services to patients during the pandemic and only 11% were not providing patient care at all.