“A drop in patient population and revenue.”

“Constant cleaning of everything throws off our schedule and is tiring.”

“Safety of myself, my staff, and patients.”

“Anxiety. Encouraging employees to wear masks when patients are not in office. Not knowing when you’re going to get sick. Not having control.”

“Practice viability.”

“The uncertainty. At any moment,we may have to close if someone on our staff gets infected. And, we may not survive another forced closure.”

The pain is real out there in vision care. Above are just a few of the ECP responses given when survey respondents in EB’s latest wave of the Covid-19 + ECPs Focus Group Study were asked “What is your biggest business challenge today due to the Covid-19 crisis?”

Our survey also revealed that:

➤ 57% of staff members have health concerns with coming back to work.

➤ 47% have safety concerns about coming back to work.

➤ 41% have concerns about wearing face masks all day at work.

➤ 62% have concerns about enforcing new protocols and rules with patients.

To assist you, our readers, as you continue to navigate today’s unique and incredibly challenging times, we have crafted a compelling lineup with of-the-moment content in this special issue of Eyecare Business. To address the previous points, our EB Covid-19 Strategies Series column on page 26 digs into five critical strategies for practices to stay safe—and sane—during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, including hiring front-door “Medical Safety Officers” to field patients and protocols.

Starting on page 38, our Big Business Do-Over feature serves up five enlightening business ideas for 2021—from DIY scheduling to on-demand services—to revitalize your practice after the Covid-fueled cacophony of 2020. And, on the lighter side, our A Fresh Start eyewear fashion feature starting on page 32 ushers in a sense of renewal and a fresh outlook on four gorgeous, new specs trends for spring.

We hope you find some strong solutions for your business—and your own sanity—in this issue as we round the corner on Covid this spring.

Erinn Morgan,
Editor-in-Chief + Editorial Director