Take Care of Your Eyes

An eye emergency is no joke, and could have serious consequences if left untreated. Please seek medical attention immediately during an eye care emergency. Contact Visus Eyewear + Eyecare during business hours; otherwise, please go to your nearest emergency room.

Book Your Appointment

Recognize an Eye Emergency

If any of the following signs appear, don’t brush them off—you could be experiencing an eye emergency. Watch for these signs for the safety of you and your family.

Swelling in or around your eye
Any degree of eye pain
Foreign body sensation
Sudden vision changes or loss
Floaters and flashes
A scratch on your eye’s surface (corneal abrasion)
Foreign discharge from your eye
Exposure to chemicals in or around your eye

Call us if any of the above signs happen to you, and our team can talk you through the next steps.

Types of Eye Emergencies

All types of eye emergencies have consequences. Learning more about the types of eye emergencies can help you react appropriately in the moment.

Foreign Objects in the Eye

If an object enters your eye that is not meant to be there, go to the nearest doctor immediately. You can make an eye shield out of a paper cup, and get to the hospital to prevent scarring or eye damage. Do not try to remove the object yourself as this could worsen the situation.

Scratched Eye (Corneal Abrasion)

A corneal abrasion can result from getting poked in the eye, or having a nasty spec of dust or sand scratch the eye’s surface. If you experience discomfort, redness, and light sensitivity, seek immediate treatment.

Do not rub your eye or cover it with a dark patch—corneal abrasions can invite bacteria into the wound, and bacteria grows in dark, warm places.

Chemical Eye Injury

Chemical eye burns are divided into three categories—alkali, acid, and irritants. All three are serious, and should be seen by a doctor to ensure no further damage is caused.

Chemical exposure can result from splashing chemicals in your eye, rubbing your eyes after handling chemicals, or getting sprayed. Before you visit the emergency room, you can run tepid water over your eyes for about 15 minutes to flush out the harmful substance.

Traumatic Iritis

Traumatic iritis can be caused by a severe blow to the eye area from a blunt object. In this eye emergency, the coloured part of your eye (iris) becomes inflamed, potentially causing eye damage. If you experience a traumatic blow to your eye, seek medical attention immediately.

Hyphema and Orbital Blowout Fracture

Hyphema and orbital blowout fractures are serious medical emergencies, both resulting from blunt force trauma to the eye area.

Injuries that cause hyphema result in bleeding in the front chamber of the eye. An orbital blowout fracture indicates broken or cracked bones around the eye.

After an Eye Care Emergency

Phewf, you got through it. Now, keep track of your symptoms and make sure to book a follow-up appointment with your optometrist to check for signs of infection.

Stay alert—you only have one pair of eyes!

Visit Us

Stop by our office on Upper James Street just north of Rymal Road E. We’re right off the LINC for convenient access from all over the Greater Hamilton area.