Emergency Eye Care - Call Tamarind Optical 902-564-5332 or Go Directly to the Emergency Room at Cape Breton Regional Hospital!
Eye injuries can happen and do happen quite often no matter what the activity may be. It may be scary at the time and very stressful to deal with, but Tamarind Optical wants to let you know we are here for you. If you can call us right away when an accident happens, we may be able to help, if the injury is more serious go directly to your local community hospital for quicker service.
Most injuries need prompt treatment, so If the eye accident is severe in nature, don't hesitate in going directly to the emergency room at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital or your local community hospital, whatever is closer for you. Some eye injuries like foreign objects or chemicals can leave you with permanent vision loss and even blindness if not dealt with quickly.
Everyday Eye Injury Types
If you’ve been in an accident, hit by a bat playing baseball, or any other types of injuries to the head involving the eyes, you should call your doctor or go directly to Emerge to seek immediate medical attention.
An eye injury may be serious whether you get the butt end of a hockey stick or if you have been in some other type of serious accident. You don't want to sustain a permanent injury so better to get it checked out right away. Some types of blows to the head can cause injuries such as the following:
✓ Traumatic glaucoma
✓ Loss of Vision
✓ Burning or Stinging
✓ Pupils not the same size
✓ Bulging eye
✓ Hyphema
✓ Orbital floor fracture
✓ Foreign object in the eye
✓ Scleral disruption
✓ Vitreous hemorrhage
✓ Retrobulbar hematoma
It’s best to visit your optometrist, health care professional, or emergency room if you’ve suffered an injury, even if it seems mild.
More Serious Eye Injuries
Some objects that get in the eye like hair can be removed easily by flushing with water or by using artificial tears like Systane. Some items like sand may be stuck behind or on the side of the eye for longer, so by continued rinsing and blinking they will eventually come out. The stubborn objects that don't come out must be dealt with professionally by and eye doctor or optometrist.
That being said, even larger and sharper objects like glass or metal should be dealt with by going to the emergency department at your local hospital before they do permanent damage to the eye ball.
Chemicals in the Eyes
Chemical burns may result in the eyes whenever cleaning products, garden chemicals, or industrial chemicals get in your eyes. You may suffer burns to the eye from certain chemical sprays, aerosols and even fumes.
Remember, If you get acid in your eye early treatment will result in a good prognosis. That being said, alkaline products like drain cleaners, sodium hydroxide, lye, or lime can permanently damage your cornea so the quicker you can get to an emergency room the better your chances of suffering minimal damage to the eye.
If you are not near an eye doctor or emergency room you want try to wash your hands with soap and water and then try to remove any chemicals that may have gotten on your hands. Then turn your head so the injured eye is down and to the side. Hold your eyelid open and flush with clean tepid tap water for ten to fifteen minutes.
This can also be done in the shower. If you’re wearing contact lenses and they’re still in your eye after flushing, try to remove them. Then go to an emergency room or eye doctor as quickly as possible. While you are waiting or on the way to the hospital, you can continue to flush your eye with clean water.
Eye Exams
Eye doctors in Sydney use a wide variety of tests and methods to examine your eyes. Most testing ranges from simple eye tests such as reading an eye chart, to more complex eye testing such as the use of a high powered lens to see the tiny structures deep inside of your eyes.
Everyone's eyes are unique so in some cases, besides performing these common tests, your local eye doctor may possibly recommend more specialized eye exams such as those done by retinal specialists, usually on a referral basis. You should seek medical help anytime you see something different in the eye such as the following:
✓ Blurred vision
- ✓ Swelling
- ✓ Redness
- ✓ Pain
- ✓ Discharge
- ✓ Light sensitivity
- ✓ Severe itching
- ✓ Loss of vision
- ✓ Double vision
- ✓ Bruising in the eye
- ✓ Blood in the white part of the eye
If you get something stuck in your eye the temptation may be there to treat yourself but resist doing any of the following including rubbing, applying pressure, using foreign objects to remove anything stuck in the eye, using tweezers or other sharp objects, and using medications or ointments.
The best thing to do in an emergency is go to your doctor, health care professional, eye doctor, optometrist, or emergency department, whatever is closer in an emergency.
Schedule an Eye Appointment Today
If you are feeling unusual eye strain, blurriness, spots, or having trouble see your computer, book, or blackboard in school, it is time to have a regular eye exam! Anything else more serious, don't hesitate and go directly to the emergency department at your local hospital. The Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Northside General, the New Waterford Hospital and Glace Bay Hospitals should all be open for eye care emergencies, but call ahead just to make sure.
Tamarind Optical Services i Sydney and Glace Bay, offer a wide range of eye-related services including Eye Exams, Eye Screenings, Eye Treatment, Contact Lens Service, Prescription Glasses, and Prescription Sunglasses for men, women, and youth, not to mention seniors.
Now is the perfect time to schedule an eye exam for you and your family today at Tamarind Optical in Sydney 902-564-5332 and Glace Bay 902-842-3333!