Emergency Appointments for Eye Injuries Available

When someone has pain in the eye from an injury or severe infection, we try to get them to see Dr. Harris as soon as possible so he can make them more comfortable with drops to numb their eye(s). This also helps Dr. Harris be better able to evaluate the problem.

We immediately see patients who have True Eye Emergencies such as:

• Sudden recent complete loss of vision in one or both eyes. This could indicate a possible stroke in the eye. If it is a Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) you only have up to 2 hours to dislodge the obstruction (blood clot or cholesterol plaque) or you will most likely go blind in that eye. If this occurs, call Dr. Harris as soon as possible to receive instructions for self-treatment until you can make it to the office. If you have to go to an Emergency Room, tell the staff you must see a doctor immediately.

• Chemicals in the eye(s). Since some chemicals (especially bases) can cause severe scarring of the eye. The longer the chemical is in the eye, the more damage it can cause. Therefore, if this occurs, we advise you to rinse the eye out as soon as possible for at least 15 minutes with clean water, eye wash, saline, or soft contact lens rinse. Make sure to rinse thoroughly under the upper and lower lids. Then come to our office for more rinsing if needed and for prescription antibiotics, pain management, and scar reducing techniques.

Injuries which are painful but not sight-threatening are called Eye Urgencies and we try to see these patients as soon as we can and usually by the same day that they call us.

Dr. Harris has removed many foreign bodies from eyes such as metal (and rust rings) from grinding, welding and the wind, and wood, plastic, glass, stone, pencil lead, bugs and bug parts, grass and seed hulls, and glue – even superglue.

He has also treated all sorts of cuts, abrasions, and burns (including welder’s flash, gas grills, and curling irons) to the eyes. Dr. Harris also evaluates and treats blunt trauma to the eye (such as from a fist, baseball, car wreck, and more). 

Occasionally contact lenses can cause ulcers and minor injuries to the eye, especially if the contacts are improperly fit or worn incorrectly. Never wear contacts that were not prescribed by your eye doctor and always stop wearing your contacts if your eyes become irritated, painful, red or a discharge develops.

If the problem continues after a few hours, see your eye doctor to determine the cause and needed treatment.

Often injured eyes require dilation of the pupil to help ease pain and inflammation and to help Dr. Harris thoroughly view the retina for damage. Dr. Harris treats injuries and infections with topical and systemic prescription medications (antibiotics, steroids, antihistamines, anti-virals, and NSAIDs) and home remedies (hot and cold compresses, OTC medications, and rinses).

To properly evaluate some injuries, special tests such as Visual Fields, External or Retinal Photography, and OCT may be necessary. See a list and explanation of several “Special Tests” and “Special Tests Requiring Extra Fees” on the Eye Health Exams page on this site.

We accept most Medical Insurances as BCBST, BlueCare, Cigna Healthcare, Humana, Medicare, United Healthcare, UMR and Wellcare. This list may change, so we recommend that you contact us if you are not sure we accept your insurance. Call Brooks A. Harris, OD today.