Studies have shown that an overwhelming number of emergency room visits could have been treated by an optometrist. These emergencies ranged from foreign bodies to severe eye allergies and eye infections. More examples of eye emergencies below.
At eye. Optometry, our optometrists are equipped to treat the majority of eye emergencies, and we offer convenient and cost effective eye care for your whole family. If you are experiencing an eye emergency of any kind, you may need an immediate evaluation or consultation – please call us to set one up.
A foreign body is something such as an eyelash, sawdust, sand, or dirt can that gets into the eyes. The main symptom is irritation or pain. Depending on what it is and how the injury happened, the foreign body may pierce the eye and cause serious injury, or it may simply go away with no long-term problem.
The foreign object may set off an inflammatory cascade, resulting in dilation of the surrounding vessels and subsequent edema of the lids, conjunctiva, and cornea. If not removed, a foreign body can cause infection, or even loss of vision, premature cataracts and damage to the retina.
If anything is stuck in your eye for more than a couple of hours, you must immediately cease all attempts to remove it yourself. Keep in mind that the eyes are an extremely delicate organ and any attempts to try anything extra ordinary with them can only have negative results. Instead, you are advised to visit an eye doctor or to call the emergency service of your region.
If there is a foreign body in your eye, such as a piece of grit, your eye doctor may try and remove it. They will put anaesthetic eye drops in your eye, in order to numb it and prevent any pain. If the foreign body is easy to get to, it may be possible to remove it by simply rinsing your eye with water, or by wiping it away. However, if this is unsuccessful, your eye doctor may have to lift out the foreign body with the tip of a small metal instrument.
The foreign material could be stuck underneath your upper eyelid, especially if you can feel something there, or if you have scratches or abrasions on the top half of your cornea. If this is the case, it may be necessary to gently turn your eyelid inside out in order to remove the foreign body. Once the anaesthetic eye drops have worn off, your eye may feel a bit uncomfortable until your abrasion heals. Our doctors will ensure to provide you with the necessary eye care instructions and recommendations.
The doctor was very helpful and was able to take out a small face wash bead that was irritating my eye for 24 hours. I am so happy the clinic was open late and that they were able to accommodate me!”
