A Visit to the Emergency Room or Your Optometrist?

When a health crisis involves your eyes, many people head straight to the nearest emergency room. However, in most cases, your optometrist can provide faster, more specialized care. Research shows that treating eye emergencies at eye doctors’ offices can potentially divert over 1 million patients away from ERs each year.

Eye Emergencies Your Optometrist Can Handle

Foreign Body Removal

A foreign object in the eye — such as debris, a metal chip, or a contact lens fragment — requires professional removal. Attempting self-removal can cause further damage. Call us first and we’ll be ready when you arrive.

Lost or Broken Contact Lenses

A torn or displaced lens can scratch the cornea or become lodged under the eyelid. If basic steps to reposition or remove the lens fail, your optometrist can quickly and safely help.

Chemical Burns

Flush your eye with clean water or saline immediately, then seek urgent care from your eye doctor. Even household cleaners or nail polish remover can cause corneal damage.

Red, Burning, or Discharging Eyes

These symptoms can indicate infection, inflammation, or other serious conditions that need proper diagnosis and targeted treatment — not just a generic antibiotic.

Flashes and Floaters

A sudden increase in floaters or flashes of light can signal retinal detachment, which is a sight-threatening emergency. Contact us immediately.

Sudden Vision Changes

Sudden blurry or lost vision in one eye requires prompt evaluation. Call our Miamisburg office at (937) 866-3471 right away.