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24-hour emergency eye care in Vasco, Goa

An eye emergency is any problem where waiting a few hours could cost sight: an injury, a chemical splash, sudden loss of vision or a very painful red eye. Emergency eye care at ReNew Vision is available 24 hours, every day, including Sunday. The Eye OPD for routine check-ups keeps its usual hours (Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm), but an emergency should never wait for OPD time.

What should I do first for a chemical in the eye?

With a chemical injury, what you do in the first minutes matters most. Alkalis such as lime (chuna), cement, plaster and some cleaning products can be even more damaging than acids, because they keep soaking into the eye.

1. Rinse at once with clean water. Tap water, bottled water or any clean drinking water will do. Do not waste time looking for special drops.
2. Hold the eyelids open and let the water run across the eye from the side nearest the nose outwards, so it does not wash into the other eye. Roll the eye up, down and sideways.
3. Keep rinsing for at least 15 to 20 minutes, and longer for lime or cement. Pick away any lumps of lime or cement you can see on the lids and lashes, without stopping the rinsing for long.
4. Take out contact lenses if they come out easily, but do not stop rinsing to do it.
5. Do not put milk, oil, ghee, honey, rose water or any home remedy in the eye, and do not try to neutralise the chemical with another chemical.
6. Then come in straight away, and bring the container or label of the chemical if you can.

What should I do first after an eye injury?

For any blow, cut or object in the eye:

• Do not rub the eye or press on it. If the eye has been cut, pressure can make the damage worse.
• Do not try to pull out anything stuck in the eye, such as a splinter or a piece of metal or glass.
• Cover the eye gently with a shield that does not touch it, for example the bottom half of a paper cup taped over the eye socket. Do not tie a tight bandage.
• Do not put any drops, ointment or home remedy in the eye, and do not take medicine for pain without a doctor's advice, as some painkillers can increase bleeding.
• For a blow from a ball or a fist with only swelling of the lids, a cold pack held lightly on the closed lids, not pressed, can ease the swelling. The eye should still be checked, especially if vision is blurred, the eye hurts, you see double or there is blood in the eye.

Come in at once if the eye is cut, is bleeding, has something stuck in it or looks a different shape, or if vision is reduced.

Something in the eye: dust, sand, an insect or a speck of metal

Blink several times and let the tears wash the eye, or rinse it gently with clean water. Do not rub. If the feeling of something in the eye does not go away, or the speck came from hammering, grinding, drilling or cutting metal or stone, come in: a fast-moving fragment can enter the eye and cause little discomfort at first. Removing something stuck in the eye is done at ReNew Vision.

Firecracker injuries at Narkasur and Diwali

Firecracker injuries can combine burns, chemicals and flying fragments. Do not rinse or press an eye that may be cut or has something stuck in it; shield it and come in. Read the full guide: firecracker eye injury first aid.

What should I do for sudden loss of vision?

Come in straight away, day or night, if you notice any of these, even if the eye does not hurt:

• sudden loss, dimming or blurring of vision in one or both eyes
• a dark curtain or shadow moving across part of your vision
• a sudden shower of new floaters (spots or cobwebs) or flashes of light
• sudden distortion, where straight lines look bent, or a dark patch in the centre of your vision
• sudden double vision

These can be signs of a retinal detachment, a blocked blood vessel in the eye, bleeding inside the eye or a problem with the optic nerve. A blocked blood vessel in the eye can be a warning sign of a stroke, so the eye doctor may send you for urgent medical tests the same day. A retinal detachment is diagnosed at ReNew Vision and you are referred urgently for surgery; retina surgery is not done here.

Is a painful red eye an emergency?

A red eye with mild irritation and normal vision can usually be seen in the OPD. Come in the same day, or at night if it is severe, if a red eye comes with:

• moderate or severe pain
• blurred vision, or haloes (rainbow rings) around lights
• strong sensitivity to light
• headache with nausea or vomiting
• a white spot on the cornea, or redness in a contact lens wearer

These can be signs of a corneal ulcer, inflammation inside the eye (uveitis) or a sudden rise in eye pressure (acute angle-closure glaucoma), all of which need prompt treatment. Contact lens wearers with a red, painful eye should take the lenses out and not put them back until the eye has been checked. Do not use old or borrowed eye drops.

What happens when I come in?

If you can, call 072489 88039 on the way so that the team knows you are coming. Come to ReNew Vision Eye Hospital, 2nd floor, Pai Hospital building, Vaddem Merces Road, Vaddem, Vasco da Gama. If a chemical is involved, keep rinsing on the way if it is safe to do so.

The eye doctor asks what happened, checks your vision, examines the eye under magnification and treats what can be treated here, such as rinsing out chemicals, removing something stuck in the eye, and treating eye injuries, corneal ulcers and infections. If you need surgery or tests that are not done at ReNew Vision, the eye doctor explains why and arranges the referral.

If a child is hurt, keep their hands away from the eye on the way. For directions, see how to reach ReNew Vision.

How can I protect my eyes from injury?

• Wear safety glasses or goggles when grinding, drilling, hammering, cutting metal or stone, or working with lime or cement, and a proper mask for welding. Ordinary spectacles are not safety glasses.
• Keep cleaning chemicals, acids and lime out of children's reach, in their original labelled containers.
• At Narkasur and Diwali, keep a safe distance from crackers and let adults light them.
• Wear protective eyewear for racquet sports such as badminton and squash.

Emergency first-aid guides

First-aid guides for eye emergencies are listed below. For problems that are not urgent, a complete eye check-up during OPD hours is the right place to start.

Questions patients ask

Is ReNew Vision open 24 hours for eye emergencies?

Yes. Emergency eye care is available 24 hours, every day, including Sunday. The Eye OPD for routine check-ups is open Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm. For an emergency, call 072489 88039 and come in.

What should I do if a chemical goes into my eye?

Rinse the eye at once with plenty of clean water for at least 15 to 20 minutes, holding the lids open, and longer for lime or cement. Do not put milk or home remedies in the eye. Then come in straight away, with the chemical's container if possible.

Should I wash my eye after an injury?

Rinse only for chemicals, dust or sand. If the eye may be cut, is bleeding or has something stuck in it, do not rinse, rub or press it. Cover it gently with a shield such as a paper cup and come in at once.

Is sudden loss of vision an emergency?

Yes. Sudden loss or dimming of vision, a curtain over your sight, or a sudden shower of floaters or flashes should be seen straight away, even if the eye does not hurt. If it comes with weakness, slurred speech or confusion, call 108 and go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Can I come on Sunday with an eye injury?

Yes. The OPD is closed on Sunday, but emergency eye care at ReNew Vision is available 24 hours, every day. Call 072489 88039 on the way if you can.

Is retinal detachment surgery done at ReNew Vision?

No. A retinal detachment is diagnosed at ReNew Vision and you are referred urgently for surgery, which is not done here.

This page is general eye-health information, not personal medical advice. Your eye doctor advises you after examining your eyes.