Urgent Care Interventions For Foreign Body In Eye
If you experience eye pain, light sensitivity, redness, excessive tearing, or lid swelling, you may have a foreign body inside your eye. If you are unable to remove the object from your eye, you will need to have it removed by a medical professional. Here are some interventions the urgent care staff may offer you if you present with a foreign body inside your eye.
Eye Flush And Vision Examination
The urgent care staff will flush your eye with water or saline solution to help loosen the foreign body so that it comes out. The staff may also give you an eye test to evaluate your vision. While blurred vision is not uncommon after getting a foreign object in your eye, significant vision loss may indicate severe ocular damage, requiring an ophthalmology consultation.
If the eye flush removes the object from your eye, you may not need any additional treatment. If rinsing the eye with copious amounts of fluid fails to improve your symptoms, further interventions may be warranted.
Anesthesia And Removal
If the foreign body is still present after the eye flush, the urgent care doctor will attempt to remove it. Before doing so, they will instill an anesthetic drop into the affected eye to numb the area so that you do not feel any discomfort during the removal process. After the eye has been anesthetized, a special dye will be placed into your eye so that the foreign object becomes more visible during the slit lamp examination.
Once the foreign object has been located inside your eye, the physician will remove it. After the object has been removed, antibiotic ointment or drops will be placed inside of the eye to help prevent infection. Finally, the eye will be covered with a sterile dressing while it is healing from the removal procedure.
While topical antibiotics are usually sufficient to prevent infection, the urgent care physician may also write you a prescription for oral antibiotics to further ensure an infection-free recovery. Before leaving the urgent care facility, you will be given a "post-procedure" instruction sheet and the staff will remind you to schedule a follow-up visit with your eye doctor.
If you get a foreign body in your eye and are unable to remove it, visit an urgent care center. When eye injuries are treated promptly, you may be less likely to experience infection and permanent loss of vision.
For more information, visit a local urgent care clinic.
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