When should you call your eye Doctor?
You should call your eye doctor for symptoms like sudden vision changes, including blurriness, loss of vision, or double vision, as well as flashes of light or new floaters. Also contact them for eye pain, redness, swelling, discharge, or a foreign object in the eye. These symptoms can indicate serious conditions like retinal detachment, glaucoma, or infection and may require immediate or emergency care.
When to seek immediate or emergency care:
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Penetrating eye injuries: A severe blow to the eye or foreign object lodged in the eye.
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Chemical exposure to the eye.
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Sudden, severe eye pain with symptoms like nausea or vomiting.
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Complete or partial vision loss.
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When to contact your eye doctor for an evaluation:
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Sudden vision changes: Any sudden blurriness, double vision, or partial/total loss of vision.
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Flashes of light, floaters, or halos around lights: These can signal a retinal problem or acute angle-closure glaucoma.
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Eye pain or irritation: Severe pain or redness and swelling.
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Eye discharge: Blood or pus coming from your eye.
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Foreign objects: A foreign object in the eye.
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Difficulty with daily tasks: Trouble reading, recognizing faces, or seeing at night.
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Other symptoms: Headaches, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness associated with eye symptoms.
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Other reasons to see your eye doctor:
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Changes in vision: You're finding it harder to read, are squinting more, or notice changes in your vision that glasses or contacts don't correct.
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Dry, itchy, or burning eyes: These could be signs of dry eye syndrome.
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Light sensitivity: An increased sensitivity to light.
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Underlying health conditions: Diabetes, which can affect your eyes.
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Color changed in your iris.
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Having the feeling one of your eyes is "a cup filling up with ink".
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White spots or areas in your pupils.
