When Is It Appropriate for You to Visit an ER for Eye Treatment?
Eye conditions can take you by surprise, and you may not know what to do. Many symptoms of serious eye conditions can seem like a non-issue, but you may be placing your eyes at risk. If you’re experiencing symptoms of an eye condition, how do you know when you need emergency care?
Eye emergencies can be alarming, especially if you aren’t sure where to go or what to do when they occur.
What’s Considered an Eye Emergency?
A wide range of conditions fall under the category of an eye emergency, but what they all have in common is that they pose a risk to your vision and eye health.
Common types of eye emergencies include:
- Eye Infection
- Foreign object stuck in eye
- Eye trauma or injury
- Scratched cornea (surface of the eye)
- Sudden onset and increase in visual floaters or flashes
- Sudden loss of vision
- Moderate to severe eye pain
- Eyes that don’t move in sync
- Different sized pupils
- Bleeding or discharge coming from the eye
- One bulging eye
- Burning, stinging or itchy eyes
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Chemical or heat burns
You need to rush to closest emergency room if you notice any of the above signs. Remember, time is of the essence during such scenarios.
Common Eye Injuries That Are Treated In the Emergency Room
Some of the prevalent eye injuries that can land you in our emergency room near you are:
1. Foreign Objects in the Eye
Foreign objects that get stuck in the eye can cause bruising, major irritation, and even eye damage. Glass or metal particles, for instance, are known to cause severe damage and, in some cases, permanent eye damage when they lodge in the eye.
When you are in such a scenario, avoid touching your eye in an attempt to remove them because you might worsen the situation. Instead, make your way to our ER near you for treatment.
2. Chemical Injuries
In most cases, chemical injuries occur when the industrial, garden, and cleaning chemical products accidentally get into your eye, causing chemical burns. Chemical injuries are very dangerous and require immediate treatment.
For instance, if you use alkaline chemical products such as drain cleaners or lime, then it gets into your eye, it can cause permanent damage to your cornea if there isn’t prompt medical attention.
When this happens to you, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to ensure that all the chemical residue has left your hands. Angle your head slightly, then flush the affected eye with water for 15 minutes. Then, make your way to our Dallas emergency clinic.
3. Corneal Abrasion
Whenever a foreign particle or object scratches the surface of your eye, you get corneal abrasions. Corneal abrasions are very uncomfortable and can lead to redness, eye soreness, and photosensitivity.
It is vital for you to visit our closest emergency room in Dallas, TX, if you have corneal abrasion because this injury can cause your eye to be susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections.
4. Orbital Blow-Out Breakages and Hyphemas
An orbital breakage is when you have breakages or fractures within the bones that surround the eye. On the other hand, a hyphema occurs when the anterior part of your eye is bleeding.
These types of injuries are usually a result of blunt force trauma to the facial bone structure or the eye.
If a hard object such as a bat, a baseball, or even a rock hits your eye, it can cause a significant amount of damage to the eyelid, eye, or even the surrounding bone structure. These injuries can be mild to severe.
Therefore, if faced with such an eye injury, you need to be examined by our board-certified doctors at our nearest emergency room in the Dallas-Fort Worth cities to rule out any major damage.
.jpg)