Most of us use our vision every day. It is one of our most precious and vulnerable resources. Are you willing to gamble with your eyesight?
When the unexpected happens and you are faced with an eye emergency, do not wait, call us. We will be able to ask some questions over the phone and triage your emergency immediately.
Most eye injuries are preventable. We want to help you stop eye emergencies before they happen, which is why we carry safety eyewear to keep your vision safe. We always anticipate the unexpected so you do not have to.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you need emergency medical care. If none of these things describe your experience but you still feel something is not right, contact us anyway. We will give you further instructions.
Seek immediate help if you experience:
Any time you experience an eye injury or sudden vision changes, you need to get medical help. But in some cases, there are a few steps you can take before coming in.
The first step is to figure out what the object in your eye is. Very gently pull your bottom eyelid away from the eye, and see if you can see the object. If it is something with jagged edges or sharp corners, you can try to flush it out with cool, clean water. If it does not move, do not attempt anything else! Seek immediate medical attention and do not rub your eye.
If the object is something like an eyelash, you can try flushing it, or you can gently touch the object with a clean cotton swab. If this does not work, seek medical help. Never use tweezers or any other kind of tool on your eyes.
Your eye is made of very delicate tissues and mucous membranes. Even a little bit of chemical contact could cause serious damage, so it’s crucial that you eliminate as much of the chemical as possible right away.
As soon as you notice chemical contact, you need to flush your eyes with clean, cool water for at least 15 minutes. Any pain you are experiencing may go away after a few minutes, so you may assume that your eye is clean. Regardless, you must continue to flush for a full 15 minutes. This is the only way to ensure you have removed as much of the chemical as possible. Once you have done this, seek medical care.
If you are experiencing an emergency with your eyesight, call us immediately. If your emergency is taking place outside our regular business hours, visit your nearest emergency room.
We’re your local Airdrie optometrist, proudly serving our local Airdrie community. Our team is excited to meet you and become part of your family’s eye health. Find us on Main Street, just south of the Safeway in Tower Lane Mall.
* Closed on long weekends
Airdire Family Eye Doctors
