Eye Injury? When to See a Doctor

Let’s begin this look at eye injuries with a bit of sage advice, and that is to consider every single eye injury as if it were an emergency. Contact an eye doctor immediately afterward and get the issue examined and treated. That is the bottom line on the question of “when to see a doctor”. However, there is also the issue of what to do before you even get to the doctor.

Getting Care for an Eye Injury

If you are someone who is a bit squeamish, prepare yourself for an uncomfortable few moments. This is because injuries to the eye can be a bit on the grim side, and can seem untreatable because they are so overwhelming. The good news is that eye lacerations, burns, trauma, punctures and even dislodging can be remedied if you head to the healthcare provider immediately.

Whether or not you use glasses or contacts to read, you should have the emergency contact information for one local optometrist on your person. Eye injuries are no time to shop around for a good list of optometrists in Jacksonville, and the best approach is to just find someone before anything occurs.

In the Jacksonville area, VAL-Uvision is known for high quality care. Not only can you get vision problems treated by skilled professionals, but we also have a doctor on hand for emergency services. Thus, any sort of problem can be quickly assessed and treated without the need to frantically find optometry providers in Jacksonville.

The Problems Treated

Are you thinking that it is a silly idea to tote around the name and number of a Jacksonville optometrist “just in case” you hurt an eye? Let’s consider that for one second, and again the squeamish in the audience might need to take a seat.

Imagine riding a bike in one of the local parks and having a small branch from a tree tear open your eye. Initially, you would be too stunned by the slap of the branch as it hit your face, but almost immediately, you would feel the pain and wonder what to do about it.

Go to the hospital, right? Yes, but these good folks are not eye experts and may not be able to provide you with the solutions needed to not only preserve the eye, but also ensure your vision was not permanently damaged.

That alone is a good reason to enter the number for a VAL-Uvision office near your home into a phone.

Naturally, other things can happen to the eye as well, and though you might want to find emergency care for some of them at a local hospital, most are better handled by an optometrist.

Consider the following issues:

A scratched eye – this can be a minor scratch or a deep one and it is something that has to be dealt with by a knowledgeable doctor.
A punctured eye – anything that penetrates the eye is going to have to be removed, and the damage needs to be assessed. This is definitely an emergency situation and requires an optometrist see it immediately.
Burns – whether from chemicals or fire, burns to the eye are serious and require immediate treatment.
Fractures or dislodging – a broken orbital area or a dislodged eye are both medical emergencies. A local emergency room is the first place to go, and then follow up care with an optometrist is the next step.

We hope you take the time to note the numbers needed in case of emergency. It can make the difference between keeping your vision intact and a prolonged problem.