Eye Emergencies: When to See Your Eye Doctor
A routine eye examination is an excellent way to assess the general health of your eyes, however there are times that a patient’s eyes need more immediate attention and care. Eye Emergencies should be assessed by an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist as soon as possible, depending on the type of ocular emergency it is. Time is crucial in treating true eye emergencies. If you incur trauma to the head, injury to the eye, sudden vision loss or come into contact with chemicals, seek immediate medical attention at your nearest hospital. An ophthalmologist is usually on-call at the hospital and may be able to assist you.
Eye emergencies are varied and can also be assessed by our Eye Doctors at our clinic. If you notice any of the following eye and vision symptoms, it is strongly encouraged to call our office and we will triage the symptoms appropriately.
- Sudden vision loss
- New or sudden increase in Floaters
- Flashing lights
- Pain in or around the eye
- Light sensitivity, redness or pain after sleeping with contact lenses
- Foreign bodies in the eye (For example: metal shavings in the eye)
Once a patient phone or comes into our clinic exhibiting an ocular emergency, we will triage the emergency appropriately and have one of our Doctors of Optometry see you. Your eye health is our top priority and we will do our best to treat, and if necessary, refer you to an ophthalmologist for further medical attention. We will always try our best to see eye emergencies as soon as possible, even if that means adjusting our regular schedule. If we are booked to capacity at our clinic, we will contact our sister clinics, and try to help schedule an appointment for you there.
Please contact our clinic at 250-590-1859, if you are experiencing or think you are experiencing an eye emergency.
Eye Infections and Allergies: What to Do When You Think You Have an Eye Infection or an Eye Allergy
If you think you or a family member has a possible eye infection or eye allergy, it is important to see an eye doctor before it gets worse. There can be a number of different types and reasons why patients can get eye infections and allergies. Seasonal Allergies and ‘Pink’ eye are common, especially among children, and can be effectively treated by an Optometrist. With the most advanced diagnostic testing available, a thorough examination and a possible treatment plan that may include prescribed oral or topical medications, our doctors are here to help!
An eye infection and eye allergy can exhibit a number of different symptoms, but the most common symptoms people could experience are:
- Red, irritated eyes
- soreness, burning, pain in or around the eye
- sensitivity to light
- itchiness
- tearing or runny eyes
- swollen eyelids
- Discharge from the eye(s) – can be yellow, clear or green
Please contact our office directly at 250-590-1859, if you think you have a possible eye infection or eye allergy. We will schedule you an appointment with our eye doctors and make sure your ocular health is looked after.
