Eye Emergencies Specialist

What is an eye emergency?

Please note that any serious injuries should be assessed at a hospital.

Drs. Cooper and Chung can manage most minor eye conditions such as red eyes, swollen eyelids, itchy eyes, foreign body removal, corneal abrasions, and many other superficial injuries and conditions.  Please schedule an emergency appointment if you have painful, red eyes or any dramatic changes to your vision.

The types of eye injuries that require emergency treatment include:

Trauma

A direct injury to your eye or skull that causes a black eye, severe swelling, or bleeding is considered trauma. This must be treated at a hospital or ER depending on the severity, especially if there is bone damage. Please call our office first to see if we are able to manage your injury.

Chemical Injuries

A chemical injury includes direct eye contact with chemicals like cleaners, garden products, or gasoline.

Foreign Objects

Dirt, dust, metal, or other objects can scratch your cornea, the clear tissue that covers the front surface of your eye and cause severe pain and redness.

Vision Disturbances

Blurred vision, decreased vision, double vision, or vision loss are vision disturbances that indicate you should call the office immediately.

Eye Pain

Pain from an eye injury or unexplained pain in and around the eye must be assessed in a timely matter.

Irregular Pupil Size

Unequal or irregular pupil size in one or both eyes can indicate conditions like a brain hemorrhage or concussion, which require emergency room treatment.

Increased Sensitivity to Light

Eye injuries or conditions, like migraine headaches, infections, and narrow angle glaucoma can cause light sensitivity.

What should I do in the event of an eye emergency?

In serious eye emergencies, such as direct trauma, chemical burns, or the loss of your eye, you should call 911 immediately or go directly to the emergency room at the nearest hospital.

For eye pain due to infection or scratches, or for any other vision disturbances, contact Cooper Optometry by phone and explain your symptoms to the helpful staff. Then, Dr. Cooper and Dr. Chung determine if they can treat your issue in the office or refer you to the proper facility for treatment.

How do I care for my eye in an emergency?

If a foreign body or chemical gets in your eye, use clean tap water, saline, or eye wash to flush your eye thoroughly. Remove your contact lenses before rinsing and do not re-insert them. Call the office as soon as possible for an emergency appointment and further instructions from an expert in eye care.

If there is excessive bleeding or significant damage to the eye or eye socket, call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room for prompt treatment.