Types of Eye Emergencies

Eye doctors treat many eye problems every day; however, few of them are true emergencies. Eye emergencies such as chemical injuries, mechanical globe injuries, and retinal detachment can cause permanent loss of vision if not treated promptly.

 

Prompt recognition of an eye emergency and proper treatment are essential. This is especially so when the outcome of the treatment may depend on timely management. Simple eye tests and careful eye examinations can help your primary care physician determine the appropriate referral and treatment. Some of the common types of eye emergencies include:

 

Retinal Detachment

The symptoms of this eye condition include flashes of light, floaters, and vision problems that result in a gradual loss of vision. However, you need to understand that some non-emergent eye problems present the same symptoms. This makes this condition difficult to diagnose without an eye exam.

 

A retinal detachment typically starts with a hole or a tear in the retina. Severely nearsighted individuals have a higher risk of developing retinal tears. Lattice degeneration also increases the risk of retinal detachment, as does uncontrolled diabetes.

 

Chemical Burns

You may get a chemical substance onto your hands and fingers, which you then unconsciously transfer to your eyes. Maybe you inadvertently sprayed chemical fluid into your eyes. When toxic or chemical substances come into contact with your eyes, it becomes an eye emergency. It can have irreversible and extremely painful consequences for your eyes.

 

Sudden Loss of Vision

When a person experiences a painless, sudden loss of vision, it may be what eye doctors call central retinal artery occlusion. With rare exceptions, the central retinal artery provides oxygen to the retina.

 

When deprived of its supply of oxygen for too long, the eye can suffer permanent loss of vision. Whether complete or partial, sudden loss of vision is an eye emergency that calls for a visit to your eye doctor immediately.

 

Foreign Object in the Eye

Eye doctors see patients with foreign objects in their eyes every day. Most of these objects clear themselves when you rinse the affected eye. Others, however, are more complex and require emergency treatment to remove them.

 

Bleeding From the Eye

If you sustained a scratch in your eye or any other type of injury, your eye might start to bleed. Any type of bleeding from the eye is an emergency. Therefore, you need to get your affected eye assessed immediately by an eye doctor.

 

Symptoms of an Eye Emergency

Many symptoms could indicate that you have an eye emergency. However, the symptoms you experience will depend on the type of emergency or problem you are experiencing. Common symptoms include:

 

• Burning or stinging
  
   

• Discharge or bleeding from the eye
  
   

• Sensitivity to light
  
   

• Unexplained bruising around the eye
  
   

• The sensation of having something in your eye
  
   

• Sudden decreased vision
  
   

• Unequally sized pupils
  
   

• Persistent headaches that seem to be resistant to medication
  
   

• Eye pain
  
   

Not all of these symptoms necessarily indicate an ocular emergency; however, they are common indicators of many eye conditions.


 

To learn about the different types of eye emergencies, visit Limestone Eye Care at our office in Lawrence, Kansas. You can also call (785) 268-6880 today to schedule an appointment.