Our Optometrists
Researchers have shown that a great number of eye-related Emergency room visits could have been averted if urgent care was administered earlier by an optometrist. Most common emergency room visits range from foreign bodies to eye infections, to severe eye allergies. Use your best judgment. If you feel your vision issue is urgent, do not delay treatment - visit your nearest emergency treatment center. Otherwise, call our office to help you with your eye emergency. We are well equipped at Broward Eye Care to treat most eye-related emergencies.
When you encounter symptoms such as those listed above, it means you need an immediate evaluation or consultation. Please give us a call so we can set it up immediately.
Corneal abrasions or scratched eye is the most common form of eye injuries. Scratched eyes occur when you rub your eyes excessively after you feel something stuck in your eyes. A small scratch in the eye can lead to an infection or a fungus outbreak. It is therefore important to see your optometrist as soon as possible.
Sore or itchy eyes are often symptoms of an eye allergy. Though you may feel uncomfortable, they may not pose any major danger to the wellbeing of your eyes. But as relieved as you may feel knowing this, the symptoms still are so unpleasant that it can make your vacation unbearable. Our Optometrists are expert at treating eye allergies.
But besides eye allergies, there are other common reasons why you may have these symptoms. Have you been wearing your contact lenses for too long? If you are having additional symptoms of burning or red eyelids, it could mean you have MGD, dry eyes disease or Blepharitis. Call our practice immediately or visit any of our Eye care centers for more information.
Subconjunctival hemorrhage is what this is also called. Also referred to as eye bleeding or popped blood vessel in the white of the eyes, this is one of the most common eye injuries occurring from a number of causes, including light impact to the eye. While it could be an emergency situation in most cases, it may also be an added symptom to a condition, or will just heal by itself.
Floaters are small clouds or specks moving in your field of vision. You see them more clearly when you look at a plain background, such as a white surface or a blank wall. Floaters are tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous, the clear jelly-like fluid that fills the inside of your eye. Floaters come in different shapes, such as circles, little dots, clouds, or cobwebs.
Flashes happens when the vitreous gel inside your pulls or rubs on the retina. This produces what looks like flashing lights or lightening streaks. This is the sensation you experience when you get hit in the eye and see "stars."
If you have floaters and flashes, you should see your ophthalmologist for evaluation and possible treatment.
Stye (medically called hordeolum or hordeola (plural)) is a very common type of eyelid infection. They usually develop quite quickly, over a few days. Styes usually affect one eye only, although you can also develop more than one stye at a time. There are two types of stye: Internal stye (uncommon type) and external styes (the common type).
No treatment is often necessary for styles. Once the style has formed a 'head', burst within 3-4 days, and you’ll see the tiny amount of pus draining away and leaving no further problem. Also to help to ease soreness and manually draw the pus to a head, hold a clean flannel, which has been dipped in hot water and squeezed it dry, then gently but firmly place it against the closed eye for 5-10 minutes, 3-4 times a day.
The cornea is the front window of the eye. A corneal laceration is a cut on the cornea. It usually happens when something sharp flies into the eye or when something like metallic or hand tool strikes the eye with force. A corneal laceration is deeper than a corneal abrasion, and cuts partially or fully through the cornea. A deeper corneal cut can cause a full thickness laceration, rupturing the globe and tearing the eyeball itself.
A cut in the eye is a very serious injury that requires immediate medical attention to avoid vision loss.
Here are some steps to take if your eyes have been injured:
- Place a shield gently over the eye to protect it. Tape the bottom part of a paper cup to the area around the eye to protect your eye until you get medical help.
- do not rinse with water
- do not remove the object stuck in your eye
- do not rub or apply any pressure to eye
- Do not take ibuprofen, aspirin or other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs may thin the blood and increase bleeding.
Once you’re done protecting the eye, rush to the emergency room and see a physician immediately.
Sudden Vision Loss
Sudden loss of vision develops within a few minutes to a couple of days. It may affect one or both eyes, part or all of a field of vision. There are quite a number of reasons why one may experience a sudden vision loss. When there is a problems at any point along the visual pathway from the eyes to the brain, vision loss occurs. Sudden vision loss is an emergency. When one suffers loss, vision may become blurry or cloudy, completely absent, or affected by flash of lights or specks in the visual field (floaters). You should contact a doctor immediately to commence a course of treatment.