An eye emergency refers to a situation where there is an obvious eye injury or there are sudden changes in the vision. If you experience severe eye pain, blurriness, or a feeling that a foreign object is stuck in your eye, you must seek medical attention at the earliest. Without proper treatment, you may put yourself at the risk of losing your eyesight, partially or fully.
As an emergency can occur at any time, patients are seen without any prior appointment at Disha Eye Hospitals. Our Emergency OPD always has a dedicated doctor.
Important facts on eye emergency:
You must be wondering what constitutes an eye emergency. From eye injury to retinal detachment, there are many kinds of eye emergencies that should not be ignored. Here are some common eye emergencies that you need to be aware of:
- A sharp object is stuck in your eyes: If a sharp object like glass or metal is stuck in your eyes, it is a medical emergency. Do not try to remove it on your own as you may inadvertently end up causing more damage. Until you reach the hospital, do not move your eyes too much. Cover your eyes with a cloth to avoid any further problem.
- A small object is stuck in your eyes: Though it is common for sand or dust to cause irritation in the eyes. If you think something small is stuck in your eyes, rinse your eyes. Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes. Use artificial tear eye drops to help rinse out the foreign body. However, even after doing all this, you still feel that something is stuck inside the eyes, t you should rush to the hospital.
- Chemical burns: If by accident cleaning products or industrial chemicals get into your eyes, you must immediately rush to an emergency OPD. Cleaning agents contain chemicals that can permanently damage your eyes and, thus, you must not delay a visit to an eye specialist.
- Blackeye: If you have suffered a bruise around the eye due to an injury to the face or the head, rush to an emergency OPD to ensure there is no internal bleeding. If there’s bleeding or there has been excess pressure on the eyeball, it can affect the cornea and vision. If after an injury you experience pain around the eye, blurriness, double vision and inability to move the pupil, it requires immediate medical attention.
- Cut or scratch on the eyes: If you have a cut or scratch to your eyeball or eyelid, you need to see an eye specialist without any delay. You may apply a bandage while you wait for medical treatment, but you must not apply any pressure.
- Sudden change in the vision: Sudden unexplained change in your vision could be a warning sign that you have a serious eye condition. You experience any sudden changes in your vision, you must go to an emergency room and get the evaluation done. Retinal detachment, wet macular degeneration, and stroke can cause blurred vision and they require prompt treatment. The warning signs of uveitis come suddenly and without any medical treatment, it can get worse. The repeated occurrence of uveitis can also lead to blindness.
If you have an eye emergency, don’t delay treatment. Timing is everything. For non-urgent problems, you can book an online consultation with our eye specialists in Kolkata.