Regular eye exams are essential. But there are times you need to rush to your eye doctor for an eye emergency. The eyes are a sensitive part of your body. Some changes can gradually or abruptly lead to severe eye problems. Sometimes, waiting too long to see your eye doctor because of an eye problem can result in permanent vision loss. In other cases, having new eye symptoms should cause alarm.

Below are signs that you need emergency eye care. You ought to seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of them.

 

Chemical Burn 

Exposure to chemicals can lead to a chemical eye burn. Ideally, you should flush out the chemicals using a saline solution like water. If you have contact lenses on, it is advisable to remove them before using the water.

In most cases, using water should be the first solution, then you can rush to your eye doctor. Below are some of the symptoms of a chemical eye burn:

• Blurry vision.
• Eye redness, irritation, and pain.
• Inability to keep your eye open.
• Excessive tearing.
• A sensation of something in the affected eye.

If you get chemicals such as acids in your eyes, early treatment results in a good prognosis.

 

Puncture or Cut to the Eye
 

An object can fly into your eye and puncture or cut your eyeball. Such an eye injury needs emergency eye care. It is essential to call your eye doctor immediately and do everything to avoid further eye damage. Try not to wash the injured eye or remove the object stuck in it. Ensure you shield the affected eye to protect it from unintentional rubbing. After doing so, go to the emergency room immediately.

Black Spots 

Vision loss of any kind should be met with immediate medical help. Holes or black spots in your vision accompanied by light flashes and blurry vision could mean you are developing diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is a severe eye condition that affects people with diabetes when their blood sugar level is not under control for a while. The disease usually has no signs in the early stages, but eye exams help detect it. Thus, it is ideal that you keep up with your eye checkups, and in case you experience any black spots, rush to your eye doctor. Early treatment can help prevent permanent vision loss.

Sudden Eye Pain

Sudden eye pain could be a sign of a severe eye problem. You may experience sudden sharp eye pain because of the following:

• Rubble like glass, sawdust, or dirt. 

• Cluster headaches.

• Material that causes iris irritation.

Debris can scratch your cornea once they come into contact, causing a corneal abrasion. If the case is minor, you can use some water to flush out the debris, but it is ideal to see your doctor for an eye exam. Doing so will help check if there is a risk of inflammation or infection.

Persistent Headache, Nausea, Vomiting, and Blurry Vision

A combination of headaches, nausea, vomiting, and blurry vision should cause alarm. You may also experience unexplained sudden eye pain. Experiencing such signs can indicate that you have acute closed-angle glaucoma, a form of glaucoma that occurs fast and is an emergency eye problem.

Seeking immediate medical help is essential in preventing further damage to your eyesight. You may be at a high risk of getting the condition if it runs in your family.

For more about emergency eye care, visit Premier Eye Care at our office in Fort Worth, Texas. You can also call (817) 428-2020 to book an appointment today.