When should I go to the ophthalmological emergency room?

When certain eye symptoms appear, it is very common to wonder to what extent they are serious or not, and whether it is enough to comment on them during an ophthalmological visit or, on the other hand, it is necessary to go to the emergency room.

The same symptom can be associated with different diseases, so it is important to pay attention to its origin, duration or simultaneity with other symptoms.

Below, we present, for each of the symptoms, in which situations it is necessary to go to the emergency room.

Red Eyes

If you have been suffering from red eyes for a few days or the problem has appeared without a clear reason, it is best to go to the emergency room

In order not to worry excessively and so that you can evaluate the degree of urgency of the red eye, it is necessary to take into account two factors that can be associated with this symptom: eye pain and loss of vision.

In case there is eye pain it would be recommended to go to the emergency room, since you may need a specific treatment that only an ophthalmologist can administer.

If there is loss of vision you should go to the emergency room, because there is more risk that the problem is not located on the surface of the eye, but there is some internal problem associated.

Eye pain

Having pain in the eyes is not usually a symptom of a serious pathology. However, if the pain does not subside, then a visit to the emergency room is recommended.

As mentioned previously, it is also advisable to go to the emergency room if eye pain is accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of vision, halos around lights, inability to move the eye, vomiting, fever, chills or muscle aches.

Loss of vision

In case of vision loss it is very important to go to the emergency room, especially if it appears suddenly. You can confirm the diagnosis by covering one of your eyes and making sure that with the other one there is some kind of vision loss.

Double vision

Although double vision may naturally regress, it is important to go to the emergency room for an examination in order to rule out any major cause.

Dry eye

If you have dry eye you don’t need to go to the emergency room, unless the discomfort you notice in your eye becomes painful. It is best to make an appointment with your ophthalmologist to make a good diagnosis of your dry eye and begin treatment to improve your tear quality or reduce its evaporation.

Tears

In most cases, it is not necessary to go to the emergency room, although it is necessary to make an appointment with the ophthalmologist. If the tearing persists for some days and is accompanied by discomfort or pain, then it is advisable to go to the emergency room.

Pupils of different sizes

If the phenomenon of different sized pupils appears suddenly or is accompanied by double vision or drooping of an eyelid, it is very important to go to the emergency room.

Eye impact

In case of a hit in the eye it is always advisable to go to the emergency room, since we do not know if it has produced an internal injury.

There are a number of symptoms that can help you assess the damage, such as pain, swelling of the eyelid, blurred vision or bleeding from the blood vessels in the eye.

Foreign object in the eye

Just like when you get hit, you can go to the emergency room if you notice a foreign object in your eye. In many cases, this sensation lasts a few moments and disappears because when you blink you lubricate, clean the area and the residue disappears. ece.

The remains must always be removed. Those that have reached the deepest layers may need surgery to remove them. In the cases in which they have caused a superficial abrasion in the cornea, the ophthalmologist will indicate a treatment to prevent the infection and to facilitate the healing of the injury.

Chemical eye damage

If contact with the chemical produces intense tearing, acute pain, difficulty in opening the eye and/or possible inflammation of the area, the best option is to go to the emergency room.

Eyelid Trembling

The eye tremor usually decreases and disappears in a short time. Although it is not usually a symptom to be alarmed about, if after a few days the tremor continues, you can go to the emergency room to be assessed.

It is also recommended to go if the eye tremor is accompanied by other symptoms such as tremors in other areas of the face, drooping of the eyelid, discharge, swelling or redness.

Eyelid Malposition

When palpebral malpositions appear, the visit to the emergency room is not necessary, unless the associated discomfort is painful.