Your eyes are one of your most important and sensitive organs and yet, many patients tend to put their ocular health on the backburner and practice bad habits such as staring for long periods of time at a computer screen or skipping their yearly checkup with the optometrist.
While it may not seem important, such habits can eventually take a toll on your eyesight. To protect your vision, you must make sure to:
- Schedule yearly checkups with your eye doctor
- Practice proper contact lens care
- Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays
- Visit your emergency eye clinic if you suspect something is wrong with your vision
- Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing other activities
Our Qualified Emergency Eye Doctors Can Help Lower Your Risk of Vision Loss
We provide a wide range of ocular health services at our Calgary eye clinic, including emergency care, contact lens fittings, glaucoma testing, and more, to help protect the health of your eyes and prevent any permanent damage or loss of vision.
Want to know how we can help your whole family see clearly and comfortably?
3 Good Reasons to Visit Your Emergency Eye Doctor
There are many reasons why you should visit a qualified optometrist. However, apart from the eye exams and regular checkups, an eye doctor can provide you with many other services that are just as important for your overall wellness. This is particularly the case when it comes eye emergencies.
Here are 3 scenarios in which you MUST always visit your nearest eye clinic for emergency services:
1. You Have a Foreign Object or Substance in Your Eye
One of the most common reasons why people seek emergency eye care services is because of foreign objects or substances in their eyes. This may be a chemical or solvent, or even a splinter. This may cause you to experience symptoms such as:
- Pain
- Excessive tearing
- A burning sensation in the eye
- Redness
- Blurred vision
What you need to do: If your eye is exposed to chemicals, the best thing you can do to limit the damage is flush your eye with water immediately. Use a strong, steady stream of clean water and arrange of an immediate evaluation by an eye doctor. Continue flushing your eye until you’re ready to go.
5 SIGNS YOU HAVE AN OCULAR EMERGENCY AND HOW TO HANDLE IT
2. You Have a Retinal Detachment
A forceful blow can cause your retina to tear or become detached, and this in turn can lead to vision loss. When this is addressed sooner rather than later, the retina can be reattached and vision can be restored and preserved.
If you have sustained any kind of injury or hard blow to your eye, it’s important to visit your eye doctor as soon as possible.
3. You’re Suffering From a Corneal Abrasion
The cornea is the clear, frontal portion of the eye in front of the pupil and iris. Sometimes, the cornea can get scratched, resulting in discomfort or potential vision issues. A corneal abrasion can be a result of:
- Wearing poor fitting or dirty contact lenses
- Poking your eye with a fingernail, pen, or other object
- Getting a foreign matter, such as sand or dirt, in your eye
- Rubbing your eye too hard
- Overwearing your contact lenses
- Engaging in high risk physical activity without wearing the correct safety eyewear
If you experience symptoms such as excessive tearing, the sensation of a foreign object in your eye, or pain, then you should visit your emergency eye clinic. After an examination, your optometrist may prescribe medicated eye drops to ease the pain or tape your eye shut until the abrasion heals.
How long does a corneal abrasion take to heal? A minor scratch should heal on its own in 1-3 days but more severe abrasions can take longer.
Do You Have an Eye Emergency? We Can Help!
At Sunridge Eye Clinic, we offer comprehensive emergency eye care services to help dissipate any pain and discomfort and return the clarity to your vision. To find out more about how we can help protect your vision, visit our Calgary eye clinic at 2525 36 St NE, Unit 157. Alternatively, you can contact our optometrists at 403-280-7518 or book an appointment online.
