Your eyes react to all kinds of things, from seasonal allergies to a long day at the computer. Most of the time, those symptoms settle down on their own. Our optometrists still hear from many patients who aren’t sure whether a new symptom means they should call right away or wait a day.
An eye problem becomes an emergency when your vision changes suddenly, when your eye hurts, or when you’ve injured it, and those situations need same-day eye care instead of a regular appointment. Milder symptoms like itching or tired eyes can usually wait, as long as they don’t get worse.
Signs Your Eye Needs Care Right Away
Some symptoms can mean something is happening inside the eye. Get seen quickly, and your optometrist may have more options to protect your vision. Flashes and floaters that suddenly appear together can be a sign of a retinal tear or detachment, which needs prompt treatment. Get care right away if you notice any of these:
- Sudden vision loss in either eye
- Blurry vision that comes on quickly
- Severe eye pain that doesn’t ease up
First Aid for Eye Injuries
What you do in the first few minutes after an eye injury can make a difference. Your goal is to protect the eye until an optometrist or emergency physician can examine it.
Chemical Splashes
Household cleaners and pool chemicals can both end up in your eyes by accident. Get to a tap or shower and flush the eye with cool water for at least 15 minutes. Hold your eyelid open so the water can reach the whole surface of the eye.
Don’t rub the eye, and don’t cover it with a bandage. Rubbing can spread the chemical, and a bandage can trap it against your eye.
Blows, Cuts, and Stuck Objects
A stray elbow during a hockey game or a sliver of metal from a home project can injure your eye. After a blow, rest a cold compress on your forehead above the eye instead of pressing on the eye itself.
Some signs point to a more serious injury after a hit to the eye:
- Changes in your vision
- Trouble moving the eye
- A visible cut on the eye or eyelid
If something is stuck in your eye, leave it where it is. The same goes for contact lenses after an injury, so keep them in and let your optometrist remove them.
Cover the eye loosely with gauze or a clean cloth. Then get help.
Symptoms That Can Wait for a Regular Visit
Many eye complaints feel uncomfortable but aren’t urgent. If your vision is steady and there’s no pain, you can usually book a regular appointment for:
- Mild redness
- Itchy eyes
- Dry, gritty eyes after hours on a screen
- Pink eye symptoms without pain or vision changes
Pink eye can spread easily. Wash your hands often and skip your contact lenses until your optometrist has had a look.
Keep track of how your symptoms change over the next day or two. Call us sooner if things get worse or you start to notice discharge or new pain.
Eye Symptoms That Need a Closer Look
Some symptoms fall somewhere between routine and urgent. How quickly you should act depends on when they started and what else you’re feeling.
Double Vision
Seeing double deserves a call as soon as it starts. Sometimes an uncorrected prescription is behind it. But sudden double vision can also point to a problem with the nerves or muscles that move your eyes.
Try covering one eye. If the second image disappears, your eyes may not be lining up the way they should, and your optometrist can look for the reason.
Light Sensitivity
Everyone squints at bright sunlight now and then. Light sensitivity is more concerning when you also have eye pain or redness, since that combination can point to inflammation inside the eye.
Sudden or Severe Headaches
A headache that comes on hard and fast needs attention, especially if you also see flashing lights or notice blind spots. Call 9-1-1 if the headache comes with trouble speaking or weakness on one side of your body, as these can be signs of a stroke.
Should You See an Optometrist or Go to the ER?
For many eye concerns, your first call can go to an optometrist. Optometrists use equipment that lets them see inside the eye, and they can often figure out what’s going on in one visit. That can save you hours in a busy emergency department.
Go straight to the ER for serious trauma, such as a deep cut around the eye, a head injury, or heavy bleeding.
At an emergency eye visit, your optometrist will check your vision and examine the front and back of your eye. Then we’ll explain what we found and talk through your next steps.
Get Help for a Worrying Eye Symptom
You know your eyes better than anyone. If something feels off and you’re unsure whether it can wait, call us and we’ll help you decide.
At Insight Eyecare, we make time for urgent concerns and walk you through what’s happening with your eyes. Book an appointment or give us a call if a symptom has you worried.
