Graham Hill Eyecare director Mark DePaola said his team was working hard to offer necessary services so local hospital waiting rooms were not clogged unnecessarily at this time.
But he said the pandemic had led to a surprising increase in certain conditions.
"While the patient load is certainly smaller, more people are coming in with eye injuries from getting splinters in their eyes doing DIY projects," he said.
"People have also gotten their eyes scratched from branches while pruning.
"Plus there has been an increase in eye strain from kids staring at devices for too long or adults adjusting to a different work environment at home.
"We've also seen a rise in eye inflammations — like a cold sore — as people get run-down or struggle to sleep due to stress."
Mr DePaola warned by the time restrictions lifted, the rates of some of these conditions would only "explode".
"We're conscious some people may be putting off coming in to get issues checked out. But we just encourage you — don't put it off, give us a call," he said.
"And if you're struggling to see properly to drive, work or study, that is important. Call us and ask if we can help — our reception staff are well-equipped to triage you.
"If it's not essential, we will let you know."
With a decrease in eye specialists travelling to Shepparton due to restrictions, local optometrists are stepping up to fill the gap where they can.
"More often than not, we're capable of looking after local people, as long as it's not eye surgery," Mr DePaola said.
"Our team is really appreciative that at a time when so many business doors are closed, we can continue to use our skills to help the community."
Locals in need of eyecare are urged to call Graham Hill Eyecare before attending.
The clinic has put measures in place to ensure patient safety, including strict hygiene and infection control practices and social distancing procedures such as running fewer consulting rooms and sitting on opposite sides of the room when consulting.
"We're also only conducting eye examinations that can be done at an arm's length, rather than face-to-face," Mr DePaola said.
Meanwhile at Specsavers Shepparton, all routine eye testing has been suspended and normal retail services are hibernating — but the store remains open for urgent and essential care.
“(This) would be things like experiencing a sudden loss of vision, having red or painful eyes, double or blurry vision, flashes or floaters in the vision, signs of an infection or even a foreign body in the eye," Specsavers store partner Chris Mouser said.
"We are also available for patients who need to renew a prescription for medicated eye drops, who have been referred from another health professional."
Specsavers Shepparton is also continuing to fulfil orders for glasses and contact lenses, arranging contactless delivery to protect both customers and store teams.
Locals with complicated prescriptions, such as children’s glasses or high index prescriptions, are encouraged to call in advance for advice.
While standard fitting and adjustment services are currently not available, Specsavers has video tutorials available via its website for customers to make some ‘at home’ adjustments to their glasses to see them through until the store is fully open again.
However, customers who are having issues with their glasses, or break or damage their only pair and can’t function normally as a result, are encouraged to call for assistance.
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