What is an eye emergency?

The following requi​res urgent attention:

• ■
  Sudden loss of vision
• ■
  Sudden distorted vision
• ■
  Curtain or shadow obscuring vision
• ■
  Flashing lights
• ■
  New floaters
• ■
  Ocular pain
• ■
  Foreign body in the eye
• ■
  Corneal abrasion
• ■
  Red eye with pain
• ■
  Red eye with light sensitivity
• ■
  Sudden loss of side vision
• ■
  Sudden double vision that does not go away
• ■
  Sudden change in pupil size in one eye
• ■
  Sudden loss of colour vision

The following are less urgent but require attention:

• ■
  Red eye and discharge with no pain, no light sensitivity and normal vision
• ■
  Watery, itchy eyes
• ■
  Lid infections such as styes or crusty lids