Need Urgent Care?
Please contact us during normal business hours if you experience an eye emergency. After Hours Emergency Care please go to your nearest Urgent Care or Hospital.
We will make every effort to make sure that our patients will be seen as soon as possible. There are times when our eye doctors are unavailable or can’t get to your call timely. We suggest if they don’t call you back within 30 minutes then go to the nearest urgent care or emergency care facility.
Please call Advanced Family Eye Care at (704) 822-9920 for further instructions. Use your best judgment on urgency, if you feel you need to find the nearest emergency room.
See Your Optometrist For Eye Emergencies
All of our doctors have training, experience and are licensed to provide effective treatment and management for the majority of eye urgencies and emergencies. During normal business hours you should call or visit your eye care professional if you experience an eye care emergency.
Before you go to the emergency room that all too often results in long wait times and an expensive bill call a local eye doctor. In many cases emergency rooms or urgent care centers will refer eye emergencies to a private practicing eye doctor anyway. Avoid wasting your time and money and see your local eye doctor first! But of course if one is not available you should immediately go to an urgent care center (which usually is less expensive) or an emergency care facility.
At Advanced Family Eye Care in Denver, North Carolina we can quickly and effectively handle a wide range of eye emergencies. Our office will do its best to work you in and see you soon fast as possible that same day. Our eye care practice has the latest technology to quickly and accurately assess the situation and provide rapid diagnosis, treatment and management. Whether you are an existing patient or have never heard of us before, we will strive to provide the best possible urgent eye care to anyone who needs our services.
We Treat the Following Eye Emergencies and More:
- Eye flashes and floaters
- Eye Infections / Pink Eye
- Styes
- Swollen eyes and eyelids
- Eye pain
- Sudden Vision Loss
- Exposure to chemicals
- Foreign Body Removal
- Eye injuries
- Painful, itchy, red, dry, or uncomfortable eyes
- Sudden blurriness or double vision
- Emergency contact lens and glasses
Eye Trauma Q&A
I just lost my vision in one eye, what should I do?
Call your eye doctor, if possible. There may be instructions that need to be carried out even before arriving at the office or emergency room (should that be required).
My eye is bleeding what should I do?
Call your eye doctor. Your actions will depend on the exact location of the bleeding.
What should I do if I spill chemicals in my eye?
If chemicals are spilled in the eye, it is best to thoroughly rinse the eye with water. Tap water is fine. The water can come from a shower, a kitchen sink sprayer or, if outside, a hose. You can pour water from a glass or bucket. The key is to use a lot of water and to do it immediately. You should do it up to 30 minutes, depending on how much chemical and what kind of chemical you get in your eyes. After rinsing, you should call your eye doctor.
Are you seeing Floaters? Spots?
Seeing spots or floating colors suddenly?
Spots or floaters are usually not a cause for concern, but it is possible that they can be the result of a retinal tear or detachment, which should be treated immediately. Call your eye doctor for any sudden floaters, flashes, spots, cobwebs, shadows or curtains within your vision. Cover each eye to try to determine which eye it may be coming from. If the doctor wants to see you, you should expect to have one or both pupils dilated.
I am seeing double, should I go to the eye doctor?
Yes. New onset double vision may be the sign of a dangerous condition like a stroke.
I have severe pain in my eye, what do I do?
Sudden, short pains in the eye are not usually cause for concern. Frequent or lasting pain should be seen by your eye doctor.
What to do if I get sand, or metal in my eyes?
For one of the above materials in the eye, try to rinse it out with water as described in the previous section. If the eye is then comfortable, it is likely that you have been successful. If there is still a foreign body sensation, you should see an eye doctor. It is always best to see an eye doctor, either an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, rather than going to an urgent care center or an emergency room. If that is not possible, then an urgent care center or an emergency room will probably be better than not being seen at all.
Pressure Behind Your Eyes?
Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. Often there is no real cause for alarm but it is possible.
Is Something Stuck In Your Eye?
A foreign body is very uncomfortable, but many times it can be removed without an eye doctor. See tips below to try to remove the object. If you want assistance, contact our office immediately.
Pink Eye or an Infection?
The most common concern with pink eye is its highly infectious nature. There is little to be concerned about but should always be checked by your doctor.
Do You Have A Scratched Eye?
The most common form of eye injuries are corneal abrasions. Even a small scratch can lead to an infection or fungus, it is important to see your eye doctor as soon as possible.
Did you Get Something in Your Eye?
We receive a lot of calls about removing something stuck in your eye (foreign body removal). In most cases this can be done from the comfort of your own home. If you are having difficulty removing it, are concerned that the object is dangerous such as chemicals, glass, or wood splinters, call our practice to schedule and emergency appointment. Our eye doctor’s office is equipped with special equipment that allow us to identify and take out an object stuck in the eye.
How to remove a stuck object from your eye yourself:
- Vigorously wash your hands with soap and water, this applies to others who are helping you as well.
- Have a friend try to find the object or if you are alone use a mirror.
- Try blinking as tears and natural lubricant in your eyes may wash it out.
- Attempt to flush out the object with water at room temperature. You can pour the water from cup or bottle, or use a slowly running faucet or shower. Make sure you wait enough time so that a size-able amount of water has been used.
- Gently pull your upper eyelid over your lower eyelid and roll your eyes.
- Use a sterile cotton swab and gently wipe the inner corners of your eye. Make sure to focus your eyes on the opposite direction of where you feel the object.
Never rub your eyes as this may cause scratches to your eye which can lead to infection or worse. Never try to self treat a chemical that went in your eye. In the event of a chemical, quickly wash the eye for 15 minutes under a faucet and call your eye doctor to find out what to do for the chemical that you were exposed to.
