Emergency Eye Care

Modern Eyes Optometry provides care for urgent eye issues like sudden vision changes, infections, inflammation and eye injuries, including removing foreign bodies from the eye. If you experience emergency eye symptoms while our office is closed, please proceed to your nearest emergency department with an on-call eye care specialist for care (e.g., Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital).

 

What Constitutes an Emergency?

If you experience any of these symptoms or situations, contact us immediately, and if required, we will see you same-day.

  • Sudden vision change
  • Contact with chemicals (including common substances such as cleaning fluids)
  • Any foreign object embedded in the eye
  • Sudden red, sore, or gooey eye
  • Vision loss
  • Blood in your eye
  • Sudden influx of flashes or floaters

What To Do Before Coming In

In case of an emergency, it is crucial you seek immediate medical attention. However, in some cases, there are a few steps you should take before going anywhere to prevent or minimize damage.

Chemical Contact
As soon as a chemical contacts your eye, you must flush it out with cool, clean water. Your eye may feel clean and relieved after a moment; however, it is critical you continue to flush your eye for 15 minutes. This will remove as much of the chemical as possible and prevent it from causing further damage. Once this is done, seek medical care.
Foreign Object
If something is caught in your eye, try flushing it out with cool, clean water. If the water does not remove the object, do not try anything else. Seek medical attention, and in the meantime, do not rub or apply pressure to the eye.
Blunt Force Trauma
If you experience blunt force trauma near your eye, there may or may not be noticeable damage to your eye or vision, but damage can occur internally. Seek medical attention, and in the meantime, you may wish to gently apply ice to the affected area to help keep swelling down.

Better Safe Than Sorry

If the symptom(s) or situation you are experiencing is not listed above or you are unsure whether your injury is an emergency, contact us. We will ask you a series of questions and make a recommendation. If you experience emergency eye symptoms while our office is closed, please proceed to your nearest emergency department with an on-call eye care specialist for care (e.g., Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital).