Emergency Eye Care
What Counts as an Eye Emergency
Most eye problems can wait for a scheduled visit. Some cannot. A scratched eye, a splash of cleaner or a sudden change in vision can move from uncomfortable to serious in a short time, and the sooner it is looked at, the better the chance of protecting your sight.
During our regular office hours, we provide emergency services for red eye and foreign bodies. If our office is closed, or your symptoms match the emergency list below, do not wait for a routine appointment. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Symptoms That Need Prompt Attention
Call us during office hours if you notice:
- A red, irritated or painful eye that is not improving
- Something in your eye, or a feeling that something is still there
- Watering, discharge or crusting that keeps coming back
- Light sensitivity or a gritty, burning feeling
- Blurred vision in one eye
- Pain or redness after taking a contact lens out
Red eye and foreign bodies are two of the most common reasons patients call us for urgent care. Many of these concerns settle once the cause is identified.
When to Get Emergency Care Right Away
Some eye symptoms need a hospital emergency department or a call to 911, not an office visit. Do not drive yourself if your vision has suddenly changed, and do not wait to see if it improves overnight.
Get immediate emergency care for:
- Chemical exposure to the eye
- Sudden vision loss, or a dark curtain or shadow across your vision
- A sudden increase in flashes or new floaters
- A cut, puncture or hard blow to the eye, or an object stuck in the eye
- Severe eye pain, or pain with nausea or vomiting
- Sudden double vision, weakness or trouble speaking
Do Not Wait on These
Chemical burns, eye injuries and sudden vision loss can cause lasting damage within hours. If you are not sure how serious it is, treat it as urgent and seek care right away.
What to Do Before You Are Seen
The first few minutes matter. What you do at home can protect your eye while you arrange care.
If a Chemical Gets in Your Eye
Flush the eye with clean, room-temperature water right away and keep flushing for at least 15 minutes. Take out contact lenses if you are wearing them, then call 911 or go to the emergency department.
If Something Is in Your Eye
Do not rub the eye. Blink and let your tears try to clear it. Never try to pull out an object that is stuck or embedded. Shield the eye and seek care.
If the Eye or Face Is Injured
Do not press on the eye. Cover it lightly with a clean shield and go to the emergency department.
If You Wear Contact Lenses
Remove your lenses at the first sign of pain, redness or blur, and keep them out until an eye doctor says it is safe to wear them again.
How We Can Help
During office hours, we evaluate urgent problems such as red eye, foreign bodies, scratched eyes and contact lens complications. A close look under magnification helps identify what is causing your symptoms and how to treat them.
Sudden vision loss, severe pain and the other symptoms on the emergency list are handled by a hospital emergency department, not our office. If we are closed, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Your visit starts with questions: when the symptoms began, what you were doing at the time, and whether anything got into the eye. From there we examine the surface of the eye and the structures inside it, then explain what we find.
If an urgent problem needs care beyond what we provide, we help you arrange the next step with the right specialist.
Related Eye Care
Call Us About an Urgent Eye Concern
For red eye, foreign bodies and other urgent problems during office hours, call 510-270-8813 and tell us what happened. For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
