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Emergency Q&A

Eye Infections

Q: What is an eye infection?

An eye infection is when microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, or viruses attack part of the eyeball.

Q: What should I do if I spill chemicals in my eye?

If a chemical comes in contact with the eye, the most important thing to do is to get the chemical out of the eye. A special chemical eye wash station is the best way to do this.

Q: What should I do if I get sand, metal, or wood, in my eyes?

If any foreign body becomes lodged in the eye, see your eye doctor immediately. Once the foreign body is found it will be gently removed. The eye will be numbed with an anaesthetic eye drop.

Q: I am seeing spots or floating colors suddenly A few floaters from time to time is normal?

A shower of floaters and spots, accompanied with flashes of light needs medical attention immediately.

Q: Can my child go to school with an eye infection?

“Pink eye,” is a highly contagious eye infection that is spread among children in day care centers and classrooms. Teachers are also at risk of pink eye when they work in close contact with young children.


Scratches

Q: My child scratched my eye…what should I do?

A corneal abrasion is treated based on the severity of the wound and also the cause.


Trauma

Q: I got hit in the eye with a baseball, is that dangerous for my vision?

Blunt impact can cause severe eye injuries with many abnormalities. Examination by an eye doctor for treatment should happen as soon as possible.


Severe Emergencies

Q: My eye is bleeding what should I do?

When small blood vessels break beneath the tissue covering the white of the eye , resulting redness may mean a subconjunctival hemorrhage. You should seek immediate care from an eye doctor whenever you experience unusual and persistent redness of the eye accompanied by a sudden change in vision.

Q: I am seeing double, should I go to the eye doctor?

If you start seeing double images when your eyes normally work well together, you should take it seriously. While double vision may be temporary, you should still visit your eye doctor to find out what’s going on.

Red Cross

Eye Emergencies

If you experience loss of vision, double vision, swelling, infection or any eye emergency, contact us immediately! Prate Family Eye Care offers 24 hours a day, seven days a week emergency services that require immediate and urgent eye care. If your eye is injured, don’t try to judge the severity of it.

Immediately seek the opinion of an eye doctor to lessen the risk of hurting your vision. We understand ocular emergencies can arise at any time. Please call our office at: (856) 228-1171 for further instructions. Use your best judgment on urgency, if you feel your need to find the nearest emergency room.

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Please note that we are not taking in any appointments on Sundays. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.