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VM brings you the latest information from optical companies and organizations responding to the coronavirus pandemic. New York Eye has been granted an essential business waiver by the State of New York and is open and operational with a skeleton staff. The business is processing and shipping out orders. In a statement, president Arthur Jankolovits said the business anticipates small delays in shipping, but feels confident that all orders will be shipped within 48 hours of receipt. New York Eye's on-site customer service will remain closed through Friday April 3, but employees are working from home as is most of the salesforce.

Customer service supervisors can be reached via email at:

• Anne Kane anne@newyorkeye.net
• Dawn Montemarano dawn@newyorkeye.net
• Kayla Aguilar kayla@newyorkeye.net
• Karen Rogers karen@newyorkeye.net

Orders and inquiries can be submitted via e-mail at orders@newyorkeye.net or by fax to (800) 221-2068.

Jankolovits said, "We thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time as we all continue to do our best to 'keep safe' in order to prevent the spread of this virus."

SynergEyes reported that is still working to support practitioners’ continued care of their patients during the COVID-19 crisis. The company is continuing to manufacture and ship contact lenses to customers and patients. It has reconfigured manufacturing, shipping processes and staffing in accordance with the guidelines suggested by the CDC to ensure the safety of employees, as well as continued productivity.

“With the increased need for reorders and ‘rainy day’ lenses to help tide patients over until they can see practitioners again, SynergEyes is continuing to produce and ship lenses on schedule at this time,” the company said in a statement. “Many practitioners are extending prescriptions and requesting an extra pair of lenses to support patients, and SynergEyes is ready to fill these lens orders. Lenses can be shipped to practices, or directly to patients, if preferred. SynergEyes has also implemented extended warranties and reduced shipping rates to support customers during this time.

SynergEyes said its entire SynergEyes team, including regional account managers, inside account managers, customer care and technical consultation teams will continue to seamlessly support customers virtually. They are all easily accessible and actively assisting customers with the same level of attention, care and concern as always, the company said.

Customer Care and Technical Consultation hours are still being maintained as usual: Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. PST. Orders may be placed via phone or email, or through the online RxConnect ordering system. If practitioners would like training on RxConnect, they can reach out to their SynergEyes sales representative for more information.

Customers can visit COVID-19 for further details on how SynergEyes is supporting practitioners as they continue to provide personalized vision to transform patient lives, even during this challenging time.

In response to the spread of the coronavirus, Zeiss has developed comprehensive measures to protect employees and maintain smart business continuity. “In light of the current situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Zeiss is focusing on protecting its employees and ensuring smart business continuity to the greatest possible extent,” said Laurie Ferguson, a spokesperson for the Zeiss Medical Technology Business Group. “In order to continue supporting our customers and partners as best as possible, we are doing everything we can to protect our employees’ health and safety, as well as maintain production in our plants, and ensure our service operations.

Ferguson noted that Zeiss set up a dedicated task force in January. The task force reports directly to the company’s executive board and oversees the planning and management of the global measures in close collaboration with the regional and functional working groups. The latest developments are closely assessed with government agencies and health care authorities on an ongoing basis. Decisions are made daily regarding the most sensible measures for Zeiss to take, she said.

Some Zeiss employees are currently working remotely, but can still be reached on their usual phone numbers and email addresses. Ferguson said that in the event of a disruption in service, Zeiss team members can also be contacted on these numbers.

Find the latest COVID-19 news you need in VM's Coronavirus Briefing.