Symptoms That Require a Visit to Your Eye Care Professional
Wednesday, June 11th, 2014, 10:21 pmAs a full-service eye care practice, the laser vision correction surgeons at Skouras Eye Centre see many patients with an array of eye conditions, ranging from mild irritation to advanced glaucoma. Sometimes, our patients contact us wondering whether their eye disorder warrants an emergency visit to see the eye doctor. To help our prospective and current patients stay informed about their eye health, Skouras Eye Centre shares the following information about eye symptoms that necessitate an immediate visit to your Toronto eye care professional.
(Note: The following guidelines are intended to serve as an overview and are not intended to replace medical advice from your eye doctor.)
Symptoms That Require Immediate Attention
You should seek immediate attention from your eye doctor (or an emergency room, if necessary) if you experience any of the following symptoms.
Eye Pain and Redness or Blurriness. Eye pain varies in nature and intensity. Not all eye pain requires immediate attention. However, in general, if your eye pain is accompanied by redness, you should seek immediate care. Also, you should seek immediate attention from your eye doctor, an urgent care center or an emergency room if your eye pain is accompanied by blurred vision.
Certain Floaters and Flashes. Similar to eye pain, floaters, flashes and spots vary in nature. Generally speaking, if you see sudden flashes of light, clumps of floaters or a “curtain” that obscures part of your eyesight, it is safest to seek immediate attention, as it might be a sign of retinal detachment. (If you only notice a few small, sporadic dots or threads that appear when you are tired or in certain lighting, it is most likely not an emergency.)
Acute Blurred Vision. If you experience a sudden onset of blurry vision that persists in one or both eyes, seek immediate attention. Also, if the vision in one of your eyes suddenly goes dark, seek immediate medical help. These could be signs of a serious emergency, such as narrow-angle glaucoma, retinal detachment or a stroke.
Red or Pink Eyes. Eye redness can occur as a result of a minor irritation. However, eye redness accompanied by itchiness, a burning feeling, swelling and / or discharge could be a sign of an infection known as pink eye. Pink eye may or may not be contagious, depending on its cause. To be safe, do not touch your eyes if you or anyone you come into contact with exhibits these symptoms; wash your hands often; and contact your eye doctor as soon as you can for a diagnosis and treatment.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Skouras to find out what is causing your eye problem, please contact Skouras Eye Centre by calling (416) 590-0445 today.
Category: General Eye Care