When To Seek Emergency Eye Care
There are eye problems that aren't considered emergencies, and as such, they can wait for you to come in for a regular appointment to be seen by the optometrist. However, there are other times when something happens that would be considered an eye emergency. If you're experiencing an eye emergency, then you want to call the optometrist immediately and let them know. At that point, they will likely tell you to come right in. Or, after hearing what's going on with you, they may give you other advice to follow. You can read about some examples of eye emergencies here, so you recognize when you need to get immediate eye care:
You get something in your eye
If you get a foreign object in your eye, such as dust or other debris, your first instinct will likely be to rub your eye. It will hurt, and you'll feel rubbing it can bring relief. However, this is the worst thing you could do. You want to get right in for emergency eye care so the foreign object can be properly and safely flushed from your eye. Then, the optometrist can make sure no damage was done to your eye.
You have sudden eye pain
It's not normal for your eye to suddenly start hurting. It can hurt in different ways, such as throbbing, stinging, or aching, to name a few. When sudden pain like this comes on, you should get right in to see the optometrist. Prompt eye care can help determine the cause and ensure you get the appropriate treatment.
You suddenly experience double vision
In many cases, double vision will be a temporary issue. However, the sudden onset of double vision can also be an indication that there are possible health conditions that should be ruled out or treated. You want to get right in for emergency eye care if you are seeing double all of a sudden.
You have an eye infection
Some signs of an eye infection can include a red eye that may also be swollen. It can be very itchy, and there will more than likely also be discharge. You can experience the most discharge when you wake up in the morning, and it may be difficult to open your eye due to the discharge that has dried into a crust. Eye infections should be treated right away with antibiotics. Therefore, you'll want to get right in for emergency eye care as soon as you determine you may have an infection.
Contact an eye care services provider to learn more.