When an Eye Problem Is an Emergency, and When It Can Wait

The general rule is simple. Anything sudden — sudden loss of vision, sudden pain, sudden flashes or floaters, a sudden shadow in your field of view — is an emergency and needs to be seen the same day. Symptoms that have been building slowly over weeks or months are usually not emergencies, but they still deserve an appointment rather than being ignored.

It is also worth knowing that for most eye problems, an optometrist is the right first call rather than urgent care or the emergency room. We have the equipment to actually look at the eye, we can usually see you the same day, and it is generally faster and less expensive.

Go now — same day, and call us on the way

Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes, whether partial or complete, and whether or not it resolves. Vision that goes dark and comes back within minutes is still a warning sign and needs attention.

A sudden burst of new floaters, flashes of light, or a curtain or shadow moving across your field of vision. This combination can signal a retinal tear or detachment. A detaching retina is one of the genuine time-sensitive emergencies in eye care — the sooner it is found, the better the outcome tends to be.

Chemical splash in the eye. Do not wait, and do not call first. Flush the eye immediately with clean water or saline for at least 15 minutes, holding the lid open, then get seen. Alkaline substances — drain cleaner, oven cleaner, cement, lime — are especially dangerous.

Any penetrating injury, or the sense that something is embedded in the eye. Do not rub it, do not try to remove it, and do not press on the eye. Shield it if you can and get seen.

Severe eye pain, particularly with nausea, vomiting, headache, or halos around lights. This can indicate a sharp rise in eye pressure, which requires prompt treatment.

Sudden double vision, or a droopy eyelid appearing suddenly, especially alongside a bad headache or any weakness or numbness. This may not be an eye problem at all — it can be neurological. If it comes with facial droop, slurred speech, or arm weakness, call 911.

A blunt injury to the eye — a ball, an elbow, a bungee cord — where you see blood in the front of the eye, an irregular pupil, or vision changes.

Sudden intense light sensitivity with a red, painful eye, particularly in a contact lens wearer. Corneal infections can move fast.

Call us this week

These are not emergencies, but they do not belong on the "mention it at my next annual" list either:

• A red, irritated eye with discharge that is not improving after a couple of days.
• A gradual increase in floaters without flashes or a shadow.
• Eye pain or discomfort that keeps recurring.
• A stye or lid bump that is not resolving.
• Vision that has become noticeably blurrier over recent weeks.
• Contact lenses that have become uncomfortable to wear.
• A scratch or foreign-body sensation that persists after the eye has been flushed.
• Light sensitivity or headaches that keep coming back.

These can usually wait for a regular appointment

• Vision that has been slowly drifting over months — the usual pattern of a changing prescription.
• Occasional single floaters you have had for years and that have not changed.
• Mild dryness or tired eyes at the end of a long day.
• Wanting to talk about new glasses, contacts, or sunglasses.
• The gradual difficulty reading small print that starts in your forties.

When you are not sure, call

The honest answer to "is this an emergency?" is that a phone call takes two minutes and settles it. Nobody at our front desk is going to be annoyed that you called about an eye that turned out to be fine. Describing what you are experiencing lets us tell you whether to come in now, come in this week, or watch it — and that is a much better use of your afternoon than searching symptoms online at two in the morning.

We keep room in the schedule for same-day emergency visits, and we would much rather see you early than late. Call us at 321-777-1800, or if it is not urgent, request an appointment online.