Prioritizing Quality & Care
Comprehensive Eye Care
Quabbin Valley Eye Care is known for providing thorough and comprehensive eye care in a family friendly, comfortable environment.
Providing the best service and eye care possible is our main priority, and our attentive and compassionate staff is here to assure that you receive the best experience possible.
It is always our intention that our staff is on time and on schedule for your exams or visits, but occasionally we do get behind.
Unfortunately emergencies or other unanticipated eyecare issues occur and it is our obligation to give each patient the time and care they deserve when faced with these unforeseen issues.
We will make every attempt to notify you if we are running behind schedule with an approximate wait time.
If the delay is not convenient to you and your schedule at that time, our staff will be more than happy to reschedule your visit to another day and time as the schedule allows.
We appreciate our patients’ understanding in these rare situations, and we will do our best to make sure that these occasional emergencies or medical necessities do not significantly affect our other scheduled patients.
Please Come Prepared
In the same regard, we like to remind our patients that it is also important for them to arrive on time and prepared for their scheduled visits.
It is requested that patients arrive 10-15 minutes before their scheduled visit with any and all paperwork requested, insurance cards and vision care plan information, eyeglasses and sunwear that they currently wear.
We also request that all contact lens wearers wear their lenses to their appointment (having them in for at least 2 hours before the visit is ideal), and bring any contact lens or previous eye related information or files with them.
This will assure that our doctors and staff will be able to perform our jobs quickly, thoroughly and efficiently, and make your visit go as smoothly as possible.
Patient Forms & Resources:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click on the question below for more information. If you can’t find the information you are looking for, you can always contact us and just ask.
We are located right in the center of downtown Palmer, MA, across the street from the Palmer Library.
Our address is: 1448 North Main St, Palmer, MA 01069
In accordance with local, state and federal regulations Quabbin Valley Eye Care is required to adhere to all current protocols for medical facilities in regards to the wearing of face masks while in our facility.
- Appointments are required for all exam related visits to the office, walk-ins are not accepted for eye examination or contact lens related visits (Note: Walk-Ins are welcome for Optical Shop services like new purchases, repairs, adjustments, etc. Appointments are required for pick-up of new eyewear).
- We are pleased to announce that as of May 11, 2023 face masks are no longer required in our facility. Face masks are optional in our office, however we encourage our patients that feel more comfortable to wear a face mask to continue to do so. Masks are on hand and available if the need should arise.
The staff at QVEC sincerely appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding in regards to the changing guidelines that have been required at our facility.
Quabbin Valley Eye Care is a family friendly practice providing care for anyone age 4 and up.
- Patients are requested to arrive 10-15 before your appointment to fill out or update any required paperwork. New patients are asked to arrive no later than 15 minutes early for their first visit to assure that their New Patient Paperwork is filled out completely and thoroughly (regardless of whether it has been submitted ahead of time or filled out and submitted on-line – we will need to review with you and also get any other insurance and medical information required for the initial visit)
- Visual acuity testing (seeing how well your eyes are currently seeing, either with your existing glasses/contacts, or without correction) and Refraction (measurements done to determine the need for glasses)
- Testing for Glaucoma (Non-Contact Tonometry or “air puff”, or Goldman Tonometry which requires an aesthetic drop)
- Retinal and internal eye health examination, which may require dilating drops that will last 1-3 hours
- OCT (Ocular Coherence Tomography) or Retinal Photographs may be offered or necessary at the time of your visit, or rescheduled to another day
- Visual Field Testing may be necessary at the time of your visit, or rescheduled to another day
- Please bring any eyeglasses you currently wear including sunglasses* (prescription and non-prescription). We also ask that you bring any glasses you’ve previously been prescribed, but can no longer use. These can be used to have your new prescription placed in them depending on their condition, or if you would like to donate them to the Lions Club we will gladly take the donations for you
*Disposable sunglasses will be given at the end of your dilated examination visit if you do not own sunglasses - Patient’s are requested to bring a list of all current medications taken and any allergies to medications or other items/substances (ie. latex, adhesives, peanuts, etc…) so that we can notate this medical information in your chart appropriately.
- Due to light sensitivity from dilation, occasionally patients prefer bringing a driver, although it is not required. QVEC has no restrictions regarding bringing a driver or additional people along with you to your visit, so please feel free to do so. Dilation can last anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on the patients and drops used. Although your distance vision is not generally affected by dilation drops, near vision will be blurred and your eyes will be sensitive to sunlight during this period of time as well.
- It is important that you wear your contact lenses to your routine or contact lens related exam if contact lenses are being evaluated, examined or refit. We can not check them if you don’t have them!
- Please wear your lenses for at least 2 hours before coming in, with them still in your eyes, to your visit. This will assure that they have had time to settle in your eyes and allow us to perform a better evaluation of their fit and visual acuity
- DO NOT wear your contact lenses if your eyes are red, irritated, hurt or have discharge. If this occurs when wearing your lenses, remove them immediately and call the office to be seen. WHEN IN DOUBT, TAKE THEM OUT!
- If you are a previous contact lens wearer and are new to our office, we kindly ask that you bring any boxes, foils, or other files/information about your contact lens prescription with you to your visit, as well with your current eyeglasses
- Please provide us with the brand of contact lens solution you currently use for cleaning, storage and disinfection
- Aetna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Health New England
- Cigna
- Mass Brigham
- Unicare
- Harvard Pilgrim
- Partners
- United Health Care
- Medicare
- MassHealth
- Wellsense
- EyeMed
We also accept CareCredit, FSA and HSA accounts for payment remittance for services and/or materials (as applicable).
*Notice to Medicare Patients: Medicare does not cover the $50 refraction portion of your routine eye examination. Medicare will only cover medical eye health and problem related examinations. Sometimes your secondary insurance will cover the refraction fee, depending on the plan. For any additional insurance questions, please contact the office directly.
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OUR SERVICES
Where Compassion Meets Care
Creating quality eye care experiences that build trust and confidence for generations to come.
Eye Exams
Quabbin Valley Eye Care provides eye care and optical services to patients (age 5 and up), in our family oriented professional and friendly practice.
Optical Services
Our experienced optical staff provides optical services custom tailored to each and every patient’s needs.
Contact Lenses
Contact lens fittings & exams require additional time and evaluation of your eye health and vision.
WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAY
We’re Here to Provide the BEST Care Possible.
Quality and reliability matter and it’s our goal to exceed every patients expectation with the most comprehensive, personalized care possible.
Susan S.
“This is the best optician I’ve ever worked with. I’ve been wearing glasses for 70+ years!”
Edwin E.
“I just wanted to say thank you very much for helping my son out with his glasses. You are such a nice person and the area is lucky to have you! You are the epitome of “Great Customer Service”. It was a pleasure to meet you!”
Joshua L.
“Dr. Wolf and Rebecca were both friendly and helpful. I didn’t feel like my appointment was rushed and Rebecca set me up with several different trial contact lenses to ensure I had the best fit and clarity possible.”
Jennifer B.
“We have worked with Rebecca she is awesome. My daughter is 11 and has contact and loves them! Becky was absolutely fantastic and amazing to work with! I would highly recommend her and Quabbin Valley Eye Care!”
Amy S.
“Quabbin Valley Eye Care is very patient with the frame selection process, extremely knowledgeable, and didn’t try to oversell me anything I didn’t need. They have an extensive selection of frames.”
Cherri E.
“Thank you Quabbin Valley Eye Care for such prompt and professional service. Your quick response and extensive knowledge help keep us and our glasses looking great.”