BRONX, N.Y. - “We’re here to be able to leave the emergency rooms open for the true emergencies,” the owner of Metro Optics Eyewear John Bonizio tells NY1 News.

The optometrists who work for him handle eye related emergencies like infections, allergies, problems with vision, and conjunctivitis, also known as pinkeye.

Eye care stores like his very often can remain open during the pandemic; the medical services are deemed essential.

But business at Metro Optics Eyewear is anything but usual, there is no more walk in service. Customers have to call first so they can be screened.

“Triaging on the phone, asking those questions, trying to differentiate,” between COVID-19 symptoms and allergies says Optometrist Lori Scerbo.

“It’s April now and that’s normal for a lot for people to have,” the doctor said about allergies.

She's only able to use one of the exam room’s. Metro Optics is storing completed orders in the other exam rooms for delivery or pickup from its other four locations, which are closed. Despite the temporary closures, owner John Bonizio says he’s still paying all 57 employees.

“My payroll is $70,000 a week.” He said he and his partners, “put $250,000 dollars into the business to keep it afloat.”

It’s a bridge loan until he’s able to get government assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program passed by Congress. It should cover him until July.

In July he explained, “The bank will come back to you and say to you ok, where did you spend the money, show me.  You show them payroll reports, you show them checks and so forth, then the government will forgive the loan.”

It’s money he’ll need. There’s very little billing going on.

For the first time Bonizio says he’s really pushing his online business where you can virtually try on glasses and the coronavirus has given him a new selling point.

“If you’re a contact lens wearer. Don’t wear your contact lenses wear your glasses.” Said Bonizio.

That’s because as the pandemic continues and unemployment rises, people are stretching the use of contact lenses.

"That can cause problems because there’s buildup that gets on the contacts or something gets in there and it picks it up and you end up getting an ulcer that gets on your cornea,” he said.

And glasses after all also provide a shield that may help protect the eyes from the virus.