Eye Care during COVID-19
Emergency Care
It is imperative that if you have any eye or vision symptoms that you book an appointment, or contact us directly if it is urgent.
The symptoms to pay attention to are
Red, sore eyes
A sudden drop, or loss, of vision
Flashing lights or sudden spots (floaters) in your vision
Sudden onset double vision (seeing two of everything)
The general rule is if it comes on quickly, you need to tell us quickly! Not all eye problems are painful so DO NOT ignore something that is painless.
Many consultations may be done by phonecall or videolink to reduce contact as much as possible.
If you have any of these symptoms call us. If it is outside our working hours and it cannot wait please call NHS24 on 111.
Looking after your Eyes
Covid-19 and Your Eyes- our Top Tips
- Do everything you can to avoid a preventable eye emergency. Hospitals are busy and face to face contact has to be reduced as much as possible. This means paying attention to health and safety- DIY, grass strimming, anything that may throw a high speed particle into your eye means you need to wear eye protection.
- Avoid eye infections by washing and drying hands meticulously. If you have blepharitis, use lid hygiene wipes to prevent flare ups.
- Increased screen time can cause eye strain and headaches. Take breaks! Follow the 20-20-20 rule, 'Every 20 minutes, look 20 metres away for 20 seconds'
- Eyes that feel dry or gritty (again this can be exacerbated by screen use) use an eye drop regularly, 4 times a day is a good start. We like the hycosan range.
- If you have a pre-existing eye condition that you know flares up (ie. uveitis) call at the earliest sign of symptoms.
- If you are a contact lens wearer, if you have no symptoms of Covid-19 you can continue but you should be even more meticulous than normal about hygiene!
- It's a good idea to wipe your glasses with disinfectant, especially if they are reading glasses and you are handling them a lot. Clean the parts that touch your face- the sides and the nose bridge.