Red, Pink or Sore Eyes?

We are able and happy to serve ALL of your eye care needs. In addition to the services you already rely on us for such as routine eye exams, contact lenses. designer frames and eyeglasses – think of your Optometrist first for:

• sore, red, or itchy eyes
• treatment of "pink eye" and other conjuctivitis
• removal of foreign bodies from the eye (such as wood or metal)
• treatment of eye allergies or burns
• emergency eye care

Eye Emergencies

We are always prepared to help, should you ever experience an eye emergency. Our office provides emergency services for eye infections, eye injuries and other eye urgencies.  We treat many eye emergencies such as: 

• Eye infections
• Foreign materials trapped in the eyes
• Eye trauma
• Scratched eyes
• Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Flashes of light in the vision
• “Floaters” in the vision
• Red or painful eyes
• Dislodged contact lenses
• Uncomfortable, itchy, or irritated eyes

Studies have shown that an overwhelming number of emergency room visits could have been treated by an optometrist. These ranged from foreign bodies to severe eye allergies to eye infections as the most common reasons for emergency room visits. It is not always necessary to go to an emergency room for eye emergencies. Optometrists are equipped to treat the majority of eye emergencies.

We understand the importance of eye care when you encounter symptoms such as those listed above. These are signs that an immediate evaluation or consultation is necessary – please call us immediately if you are experiencing an eye emergency of any kind.

Foreign Body Removal

A foreign body is something such as an eyelash, sawdust, sand, metal or anything that gets into the eyes.  The main symptom is irritation or pain.  Depending on What it is and how the injury happened, the foreign body may pierce the eye and cause serious injury.

The foreign object may set of an inflammatory cascade, resulting in dilation of the surrounding blood vessels and subsequent swelling of the lids, conjunctiva, and cornea.   If not removed, a foreign body can cause infection.

If anything is lodged in your eye, you must immediately cease all attempts to remove it yourself.  Keep in mind that the eyes are an extremely delicate organ and any attempts to remove the material in any way other than continuous rinsing of the eye can possibly have negative and adverse results.

If there is a foreign body in your eye, such as a piece of metal, your eye doctor may try and remove it.  They will put anasthetic eye drops in your eye first, in order to numb it and prevent any pain.

The foreign body could be lodged underneath your upper eyelid, especially if you can feel something in that area.  If this is the case, it may be necessary to gently turn your eyelid inside out in order to remove the foreign body.

If you suffer or even suspect that a foreign body has penetrated the outer eye layer call our office immediately.  Doing nothing or delaying treatment can lead to loss of vision, premature cataracts, or damage to the retina.

Source: Removing a Foreign Body from Your Eye, article by CareEyeEasy.com. All rights reserved.  Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.