Compassionate Care When You Need It Most
An eye emergency is any injury, disease, or infection that puts your eye health at immediate risk. At Total Vision Sports Arena, we can diagnose and treat many eye emergencies, but please go to your nearest emergency room or urgent care center if we’re closed.
It can be difficult to know when exactly you need immediate help. If you or your loved one experiences any of the following symptoms, please call us immediately:
- Sudden vision loss
- Eye pain
- Burning or stinging eyes
- Pupils of different sizes
- One eye not moving like the other
- One eye bulging or sticking out
- Double vision
- Redness and irritation
- Light sensitivity
- Bruising around the eye
- Bleeding from the eye
- Blood in the sclera
- Discharge from the eye
- New or severe headaches
When it comes to eye health, timing is everything. If you need medical care, please call us immediately. Even a minor injury can lead to long-term consequences.
Types of Eye Emergencies
Chemical Exposure
A chemical injury to the eye can occur when the eye comes into contact with a solid, liquid, powder, or aerosol chemical. No matter the chemical, exposure is considered a medical emergency. Damage can occur in as little as 1 to 5 minutes.
If your eyes come into contact with a chemical:
- Wash your hands with soap and water to remove any remaining chemicals.
- Turn your head so the injured eye is facing down and to the side.
- Flush your eyes with clean, cool tap water for 15 minutes.
- Remove your contacts if you’re wearing any.
- Call us immediately.
Foreign Objects
A foreign object is anything in your eye that doesn’t belong there. While getting hair or dust in your eye is normal and not usually an emergency, any foreign object can potentially scratch the cornea and cause an infection. An infection requires medical treatment.
Larger, sharper objects pose more of a risk to your eye health. These objects can puncture and penetrate the eye and need a medical professional to remove them. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent vision loss.
If a large foreign object is stuck in your eye:
- Do not rub the eye.
- Restrict eye movement.
- Bandage the eye using a clean cloth or gauze.
- If the object is too large to allow for a bandage, cover the eye with a paper cup.
- Cover the uninjured eye to help prevent eye movement in the affected eye.
- Call us immediately.
Sudden Loss of Vision
Sudden vision loss includes any amount of vision loss experienced in a few minutes to a couple of days. Vision loss is always considered an emergency and is generally caused by 3 different reasons:
- Clouding of normally transparent eye structures
- Abnormalities of the retina
- Abnormalities of the optic nerve and the visual pathways
If you experience any degree of sudden vision loss, please call us immediately. We’ll need to examine your eyes to know exactly what’s causing it.
Trauma
A blunt eye injury can occur when you are struck in the face or eye. This type of injury can damage your eyelid, eye, and the thin bones behind your eye.
Blunt trauma can cause:
- Bruising and swelling (black eye)
- Cuts to the eyelid or skin around the eye
- Cuts or scratches on the cornea
- Blood in the whites of the eye
- Retinal detachment
- Globe rupture
Even if your injury looks minor, there can be significant internal damage that only an eye exam can reveal. Call us immediately if you or a loved one has sustained blunt force trauma to the face or eye.
Preventing Eye Injuries
Preventing an eye injury is as simple as wearing eye protection. Appropriate eye protection can prevent up to 90% of eye injuries! This includes wearing sunglasses since the sun’s UV rays can cause as much damage to the eyes as a flying object.To help protect your eyes, remain aware of your surroundings and keep your eyes and mind on the task at hand. And call us immediately if you or a family member experiences the symptoms of an eye emergency.
Our Location
We’re conveniently located off Sports Arena Boulevard, right next door to Phil’s BBQ in the Midway District. There’s tons of parking and an accessible stall right in front of our door. Same day appointments available! Welcoming new patients.
Our Address
- 3750 Sports Arena Blvd.,
Suite 9 - San Diego, CA 92110
Contact Information
- Phone: 619.224.2879
- Email: [email protected]
Our Hours
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
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