Eye Care When You Need It
At Carolina Eye Doctors, we take your eye health seriously. Eye emergencies can occur without notice, so we provide emergency eye care services for eye infections, injuries, and other serious issues.
Getting treatment for your eye emergency as soon as possible is the best way to prevent potential vision loss and complications. If you experience an eye emergency, please contact us immediately for urgent care, or visit your nearest emergency room after hours.
When to Seek Medical Attention
Eye emergencies don’t fall under one set category and can range from surface injuries, chemical injuries, and infections to other issues like sudden flashes and floaters.
Some common signs and symptoms of an eye emergency include:
- Bleeding from the eye
- Loss of vision
- Eye pain in one or both eyes
- Eye bulging
- New and severe headaches
- Double vision
- Physical trauma to the eyes
We understand that the nature of eye emergencies can be scary, but we’re in your corner to help preserve your long-term eye health.
Types of Eye Emergencies
Eye emergencies can come in many forms, and knowing what to do before you receive emergency treatment can help prevent further damage.
Chemical Eye Injuries
Chemical eye injuries can happen during simple activities around your home, like cleaning, or at work. Chemicals from cleaning products, garden chemicals, and industrial chemicals can accidentally get in your eyes from spills or sprays.
If you get chemicals in your eyes, follow these steps:
- Wash your hands with soap and water to remove any traces of the chemical on your hands
- Turn your head so the affected eye is down and to the side
- Hold the eyelid of the affected eye open and flush with clean tap water for 15 minutes
A chemical spill in your eyes can cause serious damage, and you should seek emergency care as soon as possible.
Scratches & Punctures
Your eyes are extremely sensitive to trauma, so a cut or scratch on your eye or eyelids can require urgent medical care. Apply a loose bandage to the affected area while you wait for medical attention to help protect the area from further damage.
It’s vital not to apply too much pressure to the injured area.
Flashes & Floaters
Flashes appear as bright flickers of light in your field of vision. They can occur on and off over weeks or even months. Occasional flashes may become more regular, but random new flashes should be examined by our team immediately, as sudden flashes can indicate a serious issue, like a retinal detachment.
Floaters appear as small squiggly lines or cobwebs in your field of vision. While they may seem like they’re in your central vision, they’re made of tiny clumps of gel or cells floating around inside the vitreous, casting a shadow in your vision.
Contact us right away if:
- A gray curtain covers part of your vision
- You notice many new floaters
- You have an increased amount of flashes
- A shadow appears in your peripheral vision
These symptoms can sometimes indicate potentially severe vision issues.
Small & Large Foreign Objects
Small foreign objects like sand or dust can get in your eyes randomly throughout the day and cause discomfort. You can take the following steps to help manage discomfort:
- Avoid rubbing your eye and try blinking to clear out the object.
- Wash your hands and examine your eye to try to locate the object.
- Use artificial tears or eye drops to help rinse out the object.
- Flush the object out with cool water if it’s stuck on or under your eyelid.
- Contact us for emergency eye care if the object cannot be removed and irritation continues.
Large foreign objects like glass or metal can cause serious damage if they get stuck in your eyes.
If a large foreign object is stuck in your eyes, it’s crucial not to touch the object. Do not apply pressure or attempt to remove it. Leave it as is and seek immediate emergency medical attention.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, occurs when there is inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the front of your eyes.
Some common signs and symptoms of conjunctivitis include:
- Clear, watery discharge in the affected eye
- Mild redness
- Itchy eyes
- A pus-like discharge
Conjunctivitis may not always be an eye emergency, but in some cases, conjunctivitis can be contagious and cause eye pain and redness. In severe cases of conjunctivitis, you may require urgent eye care to treat it.
Putting Your Eye Health First
At Carolina Eye Doctors, we strive to be there for you when you have an eye emergency. If you require urgent medical attention for your eyes, please contact us for emergency treatment or visit your nearest emergency room.
Book AppointmentOur Location
We’d Love To See You!
You can find us off Roberta Road in the Town Center. Please call or text us if you have any trouble finding our office.
Our Address
- 4350 Main Street, Suite 101
- Harrisburg, NC 28075
Contact Us
- Phone: 704-322-3600
- Fax: 704-230-4100
- Email: [email protected]
Hours Of Operation
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Appointment Only: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Closed Daily for Lunch: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM