When is Eye Pain an Emergency?
Have you ever experienced eye pain, scratched your eye, or hit your head and wondered if you need emergency eye care?
If you’re experiencing an eye emergency, emergency care can save you from unnecessary pain, protect your vision, and limit damage to your eyes.
It can be difficult to tell when you need emergency eye care, but our team is here to help you. To effectively assist you, please call our office first at (204) 809-4322 before you stop in.
Read on to learn more about what constitutes an eye emergency, what to do in an emergency, and how your optometrist can help you.
What is an Eye Emergency?
Your eyes can be easily damaged, so it’s important to be able to recognize an eye emergency.
A number of eye injuries can occur that require immediate medical care. If you’ve experienced any of the following injuries, visit your nearest medical clinic right away:
- A cut or scratch to your eye
- A foreign object in your eye
- Chemical exposure
- Trauma to your eyes, head, or neck
- Severe eye infection
Symptoms of an Eye Emergency
Eye emergencies cover a range of incidents and conditions, each associated with various symptoms.
You should call your eye doctor if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Loss of vision or sudden blurred vision
- Severe pain, burning, or stinging
- Different sized pupils
- One of your eyes is not moving like the other
- Bulging eyes
- Double vision
- Severe redness, irritation, or itching
- Sudden sensitivity to light
- Bruising around the eye
- Bleeding or discharge from the eye
- New or severe headaches
How to Tell When Eye Pain is an Emergency
If you have eye pain, it may not always be an emergency. So how can you tell when your eye pain requires emergency eye care?
If you feel as if your eye pain isn’t severe, you can call your optometrist to see if you need emergency eye care or if it can wait until your next appointment.
If left untreated, certain eye injuries can damage your eye, cause vision loss, and even lead to more serious medical conditions. If your eye doctor is unable to help at that time, visit your nearest emergency room.
You may need emergency eye care if you have:
- Headache
- Fever
- Sensitivity to light
- Sudden change in vision
- Nausea or vomiting
- Halos around lights
- Trouble moving your eye or an inability to keep it open
- Blood or pus coming from your eyes
When it comes to your vision and eye health, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. If you’re wondering if you need emergency eye care, contact the team at Henderson Vision Centre.
Tips for Preventing an Eye Injury
Eye injuries and accidents can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. Whether you’re at home, at work, participating in an athletic event, or playing with your kids on the playground, it’s important to take the steps to protect your eyes.
There are steps you can take to decrease your risk of eye injuries. Here are some tips to prevent accidents that can damage your eyes:
- Wear protective eyewear in high-risk situations, like when using power tools or participating in sporting events
- Always read & follow the directions when working with chemicals or cleaning supplies
- Teach your child about eye safety
- Supervise your child and childproof your home
- Use caution when cooking with grease and oil
What to Do in an Emergency
While you may be tempted to treat the injury yourself, only professional medical care can ensure you don’t suffer from serious complications or side effects.
No matter what emergency symptoms you’ve noticed, be sure to never:
- Rub or apply pressure to your eye
- Attempt to remove foreign objects that are stuck in your eye
- Use tweezers or any other tools in your eye
- Put medications or ointments in your eye
If you believe you are experiencing an eye emergency, please call our office first so we can prepare adequately and assess the situation.
Our team at Henderson Vision is here to help. Contact us at (204) 809-4322.
