What started the fire?
The fire originated in an adjacent unit in our strip mall. Three separate investigations were performed. The fire burned so bright and so hot that it was very difficult to trace the burn marks to the fire origin, so it has been hard to tell what caused it.
Was all the equipment destroyed?
Due to the fire primarily being in the unit next door, we did not have anything that was significantly burned. We did however, have significant smoke damage to our sensitive medical equipment which required us to replace a lot of equipment, all consumables, and anything that touches a patient’s face. Everything else underwent extensive professional cleaning. We had to replace a lot of our equipment anyway due to space limitations in our new location.
Why did you move?
We were hoping that we could stay in our original location since the majority of our damage was smoke related. But after a few days we were informed that the damage to the building utilities was so extensive that we would remain without heat or electricity indefinitely. There was no way to fix these things unless the city got involved with very expensive major construction including rewiring the whole street. We did push for this, but it was not possible. We ended up having to empty out the old office in the freezing cold dark. At the time we also considered working out of a trailer but the parking lot was declared to be unsafe due to the building being unsound after the fire.
What is happening with the old building?
Since major construction is needed to rehab it, a very ambitious person will have to buy it. Last I checked it was still up for sale. We don’t know the future of the building. Therefore, we will not be returning to Newton Street.
Why did it take so long to re-open?
We REALLY wanted to stay close by so we could continue to be there for our patients. We tried looking at areas close to our original spot but nothing was available/rent was not affordable. We wanted to find the perfect place that was still in Fall River, on the bus line, and had plenty of parking. It took us 4 months to clean out 40 years worth of memories in the dark and cold. Then it took us 3 months after that to find a place that was a fit. After that, we had to do construction, but now we are finally back open :-). Click here to schedule.
What happened while you were closed?
After the fire we were tasked with the major project of cleaning our very large office, in the cold and the dark and moving to storage. We also scoured Fall River looking at new spots and answering phones, digitizing all the records (which involved removing about 22,932,394 staples), answering calls still coming in, and trying to help our patients as much as we could. We also used friend's offices to do exams and serve our patients in the meantime when we didn’t have a place to call home. Thank you to Eye See Quality Eye Care, and all the countless friends, family, and colleagues who helped us out in our time of need.
Do you still have a copy of my old records?
There was a lot of confusion when cleaning out the office due to the fact that charts were in different places in the office when the fire occurred and we had to clean out the office in the dark. However, we believe that we have the vast majority of the records for all active patients (seen in the last 7 years). These have all been digitized and we spend a great deal of time and money making sure that they are backed up for safekeeping.
Do sell glasses?
Yes, we now have a full time, full service, optical shop. Come in to meet Ruben, Mary Ann, and Gabby. Check out their bios here. No appointment needed :-)
Why did you choose this new location?
Beside having the majority of our wish list (parking, bus line, located in Fall River etc). 3950 N Main Street was formerly the office of Dr. Alan Fielding, an incredibly wonderful dentist and an even better person. Because it was already set up for medical use with a front desk area and exam rooms, we were able to convert it more easily. This office also has a basement area for storage and a downstairs unit that we were able to use while our permanent space got remodeled. Thank you so much if you are someone who came to see us while we were downstairs. We are absolutely humbled by your outpouring of support :-)
What is going on with Dr. Posner?
Dr. Posner wrote a letter that you can read on the homepage here. He is recovering from some health issues, but his heart is always with us even when he is not able to see patients. He does not have a timeline when he will be returning, so he recommends that you do not delay your care and that you see Dr. Herald, who has been trained just like Dr. Posner. They both went to the same Optometry school and they both have a passion for medical optometry and caring for patients.
What should I know about Dr. Herald?
Dr. Herald comes to Fall River Vision with a decade worth of experience in the optometric field. There are four levels of optometric licensing in MA, and she holds the highest one which qualifies her to treat glaucoma and prescribe oral medication. This is great news because it means less traveling around to many different specialists.
Dr. Herald graduated from the New England College of Optometry in 2014- the same school as Dr. Posner (but not the same year :-)). She has many years of experience working in community health care settings and with ophthalmologic surgeons. She is able to do a complete eye exam in Spanish.
Her passion is medical eye care, especially focusing on supporting eyes through increased hours on a screen, just like you are now. She wants your eyes to be healthy and feel comfortable as much as she wants your vision to be clear.
She is a leader in the field of optometry and she is an active member of the American Optometric Association and the Massachusetts Society of Optometry.
Perhaps the coolest thing about Dr. Herald is that she is very philanthropic and she spends her time doing home eye exam visits for patients who otherwise would not have ever had a chance at an eye exam. Her mobile patients describe her as “a special light in the world”. She also volunteers in several organizations as a mentor for young optometrists and entrepreneurs, and she is midway through AOA Leadership Institute where she has been working with other doctors across different states in order to better the profession. She also volunteers her time to give free exams and glasses to patients in financial need and has worked hard to secure a Coastline grant to provide eye care at no cost to those in qualified communities. See more on the grant here.
Personally, Dr. Herald worked her way through college as a licensed cosmetologist. She is a former roller derby player. She is a dog mom, and she is married to her high school sweetheart.
It’s hard to adjust to a new doctor, and it can sometimes feel impossible to connect- especially with medical professionals- but Dr. Herald is super professional, relatable, and she explains things in a way you can get on board with. If you are even considering the possibility of seeing Doctor Herald, give her a chance. You will love her after your very first visit- just take a look what patients say about her.