Estimates suggest that around 2.4 million eye injuries occur in the United States every year. These can happen at home, at work, or during your recreational time. Many are mild and easily treated, but others can have long-term, if not permanent, consequences for your vision, particularly if you don’t get help right away. With types of eye emergencies varying so greatly, how do you know if you need to be seen by an eyecare professional straight away, or if you can wait for a regular appointment? Let’s find out.

 

Am I at Risk of an Eye Emergency?

Anyone can experience an eye emergency at any time. However, there are some activities, jobs, and even environments that increase the likelihood of experiencing an eye emergency. These include, but aren’t limited to:

• Automobile repair
   

• Carpentry
   

• Construction
   

• Electrical work
   

• Gardening/landscaping
   

• Maintenance
   

• Manufacturing
   

• Medical care
   

• Mining
   

• Plumbing
   

• Welding
   

• Woodworking

Research suggests that around 90% of eye injuries can be prevented just by wearing the right protective eyewear. If you identify with any of these risk factors, it’s crucial that you invest in the appropriate protective eyewear. If you aren’t sure which protective eyewear is right for you, speak to your eye doctor for advice.

If you regularly play sports, you could be more likely to experience an eye emergency too. This is because sports usually involve either you or another object moving at speed. For example, baseballs, baseball bats, hockey pucks, tennis balls, and objects whizzing past you when you are cycling, running, or rowing could all cause damage to your eyes. For this reason, protective eyewear is recommended during sports where it is appropriate.

 

Common Eye Emergencies and Their Symptoms

To help you understand when you need to seek urgent help and care for an eye emergency, here are some of the most common eye emergencies and their symptoms.

Foreign Body Penetration

It’s not unusual to get an eyelash, some lint, or a speck of dust in your eye, and in most cases, you will be able to rinse this out right away. However, sometimes the foreign object that gets into your eye is bigger and may require professional intervention. If you get something in your eye that won’t come out, or if you experience a penetrating injury, you need to see an eye doctor right away. Rubbing your eye or trying to pull out a lodged object could cause more damage, so we recommend that you cover your eye and get to your emergency eye doctor or an emergency room immediately.

Chemical Burns

Chemicals can be found all around the home as well as outside, from cleaning materials and pesticides to perfume and hairspray. Chemical burns happen either directly, such as by accidentally spraying perfume or a cleaning chemical into your eyes, or indirectly, by getting chemicals onto your hands and then touching your eyes. If you accidentally get any chemicals into your eyes, you should rinse them with clean, cool water for at least 15 minutes before you do anything else. If you have someone with you, ask them to contact your eye doctor on your behalf.

Sudden Visual Changes or Severe Eye Pain

Everyone experiences slight changes in their vision from time to time, but if you find that your eyesight suddenly becomes impaired by flashes, floaters, or curtains of darkness, you should make an appointment with an emergency eye doctor right away. Similarly, if you start to experience severe eye pain, it is nearly always indicative of an emergency, and you should seek urgent treatment from a professional. Some of the conditions that can cause sudden visual disturbances and severe eye pain include acute, rapid-onset glaucoma and retinal detachment, both of which can cause permanent vision damage.

If you have concerns about your vision, or if you aren’t sure if you think you may be experiencing an eye emergency, contact Enochs Eye Care, Clarity Vision of Suffolk in Suffolk, Virginia at (757) 638-2015 today.