Urgent Eye Care: Reasons You May Need Emergency Eye Care

A wide range of injuries or complications can constitute an eye emergency. What every form of eye injury shares in common is an imminent danger to the health of your eyes and the need to seek emergency eye care. At Eye Physicians and Surgeons, P.A. in Wilmington, DE, we take these emergencies very serious. To serve our patients in these moments of crisis, we offer emergency eye care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are experiencing an eye emergency, call our office at (302) 652-3353.

What Is Considered an Eye Emergency?

Eye emergencies are rare, but can be very dangerous. Some emergencies are clear or evident, such as an impact to the head, while other serious eye injuries are more subtle. Potential causes of an eye-related emergency include:

• Cuts or scratches on the surface of the eye
• An object embedded in the eye
• Exposure to chemicals
• Impact to the head or face
• Eye infection
• Medical condition
• Complications related to glaucoma
• Blood clot
• Detached retina

Symptoms will vary depending on the cause of the injury. Patients should take certain symptoms very seriously. If you live in or around Wilmington and experience one or more of these symptoms, you should seek immediate help at our eye care center.

• Sudden loss of vision
• Double vision
• Eye pain
• Ocular or eyelid swelling
• Significant itching, burning, irritation, or discharge
• Exposure of the eye to chemicals or a foreign body

Should I Seek Urgent Help?

If your vision is impaired or if you are experiencing eye pain, you should seek emergency help. Alterations in your visual perception and other symptoms could indicate a serious underlying complication, such as a blood clot or dislodged lens. Prompt care and early treatment can prevent irreversible damage to your eye. Our doctors are trained and licensed to manage and treat a wide range of eye care emergencies. Whether you are experiencing an eye infection, loss of vision, or injury from a foreign object, a member of our eye care team will provide prompt and effective treatment.

If you are experiencing an eye emergency, call our eye care center 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (302) 652-3353.

We understand that some unexpected injuries must be addressed before coming to our office. If you have experienced chemical exposure to the eye, flush the eye(s) with saline water or tepid water for 15 minutes and call our office at (302) 652-3353. Patients who have impaired vision should not drive themselves. If you believe you have something in your eye, do not attempt to remove the object or rub it out. Call our office and a member of our eye care team will advise you on how to proceed.

What Are My Treatment Options?

Once you arrive at our eye care center, a member of our team will quickly assess your needs. If you have a foreign object trapped near or in your eye, anesthetic eye drops can be administered before one of our doctors locates and removes the object. This may require pulling back the eyelids with a special tool to locate and remove the object. Minor abrasions will heal on their own, and a member of our team can provide guidelines to prevent further injury or infection.

Our doctors can provide emergency care for:

• Corneal injuries
• Complications related to glaucoma
• Cataract treatment
• Injuries that require eye surgery

Contact Us for Your Urgent Eye Care Needs 

Sudden onset of eye pain or visual obstructions may be a sign of an eye emergency. Only prompt medical care from a doctor can prevent permanent damage or blindness to your eye. If you are experiencing an eye emergency, call Eye Physicians and Surgeons, P.A, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (302) 652-3353.