Dr. Carina Lee, December 28, 2023
What exactly is an eye emergency?
Eye injuries or infections can be very painful and call for immediate medical attention. If a foreign body or chemical causes harm to your eye, or if your eye is red and oozing, call your doctor right once.
Symptoms of an eye emergency
Irritation or itchiness
Red or pink eyes
Stinging or burning
Foreign object stuck in your eye
Pain
Double Vision
Burns
Seeing flashes of light
New sensitivity to light
Sudden changes in pupil size
New “floaters” in your field of view
Dark shadows gliding across your vision
Sudden vision loss, in one or both eyes
Eye infection (red/pink Eye)
Eye infections can be brought on by a variety of things, including bacteria, viruses, contact with toxic substances, and more. Contact lens wearers are more likely to develop eye infections. Remove your contacts immediately if you suspect an eye infection and wait to have your eye examined by an emergency eye doctor.
Signs of an eye infection:
Discharge that is green, yellow, or bloody (white or cream colored discharge is normal)
Red eyes or eyelids
Feeling that something is stuck in your eye
Eye pain
A white or gray sore on your iris
Increased sensitivity to light
Blurry vision, or other vision changes
Fever, with no other cause
What to do if a foreign object is stuck in your eye
Even the smallest eyelash or grain of sand can irritate and hurt the eyes. There is no need to panic, though, as you can typically remove it without risk at home. To securely remove the object from your eye, just adhere to these steps:
Use soap and water to wash your hands.
Look in a mirror to find the item.
To flush the thing out, squeeze your eyelids shut and blink to produce tears. Avoid rubbing your eyes because doing so could make the issue worse.
If anything is stuck behind your upper eyelid, gently drag your upper lid over your lower eyelid and then glance up to yank the thing out from under your top lid.
Remember
The eye is a very fragile organ. Keep calm and call your eye doctor for immediate help if you are unable to remove the object from your eye.
Seek emergency eye treatment right away if you believe that the foreign object has cut into your eye's surface to avoid endangering your vision.