At Brinton Vision, we are committed to maintaining a safe, comfortable environment for our patients, visitors, and staff. We welcome service animals in accordance with applicable law and ask that all guests follow the guidelines below when bringing a service animal to an appointment.

What qualifies as a service animal?

A service animal is an animal that has been individually trained to perform specific work or tasks for a person with a disability. Disabilities may include physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disabilities.

Examples of qualifying service animal tasks may include:

• Guiding a person who is blind or has low vision
• Alerting a person who is deaf or hard of hearing to sounds or people nearby
• Assisting during a seizure
• Helping interrupt or prevent certain impulsive or harmful behaviors related to psychiatric or neurological disabilities

Emotional support, comfort, or companionship alone do not qualify an animal as a service animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To qualify, the animal must be trained to perform work or tasks directly related to the individual’s disability.

Can I bring my service animal to my visit?

Yes. In accordance with the ADA, Brinton Vision welcomes service animals into our facility.

If you bring a service animal to your appointment, the animal must be:

• Under your control at all times
• Leashed, harnessed, or tethered, unless doing so would interfere with the animal’s work or your disability prevents the use of such devices
• Housebroken
• Clean, healthy, and well groomed, with no fleas, ticks, or open sores
• Up to date on vaccinations as required by local, county, and state regulations

If a service animal does not meet these requirements, or if it poses a risk to patients or staff, we may ask that the animal be removed from the facility.

To help protect the safety of everyone in our office, Brinton Vision may request proof of vaccination. We may also ask whether the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task it has been trained to perform. We will not require documentation of certification, training, or licensing.

Please note that Brinton Vision is not responsible for the care or supervision of your service animal during your visit.

Are there areas where service animals are not permitted?

Yes. For safety reasons, service animals are not allowed in certain clinical areas, including:

• Clinic rooms where intraocular (in-eye) procedures are performed
• The diagnostic suite during patient evaluations
• The laser surgery room, including the waiting couch immediately outside the laser surgery room

If you are bringing a service animal and need to access one of these areas, you will need to arrange for someone else to supervise the animal during that portion of your visit.

Questions?

If you have questions about bringing a service animal to your appointment, please contact Brinton Vision before your visit.

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