Getting Back to the Basics

For the past several weeks this blog has been all over the map: health policy, adult education, surgical drapes, brain cancer.

'Umm, excuse me. Isn't this blog supposed to be about the eyes and visual health?"

Time to get back on topic - for awhile anyway!

Quite a few visitors to our WebMD Vision & Eye Disorders Message Board post inquiries about worrisome symptoms and wonder when is the right time to find an eye doctor.

Sometimes the symptoms sound quite benign: I see little specks when staring at fireworks; should I make an eye appointment?

There are other times when my jaw drops: I lost sight in my left eye three days ago; what should I do?

Since WebMD does not diagnose members' health problems, manage their diseases or make treatment recommendations, it is tempting to respond with authority and indifference, "Go away, you've come to the wrong place for help!" The reality is that the health professionals at WebMD devote so much time online because they like helping people in need by providing reliable information.

So, when should you contact your doctor about an eye problem?

Here's a handy checklist to consult whenever you sense something about your eyes is just not right - whether it involves one or both eyes:

• Sudden change in vision


• Loss of visual field (grey or black curtain)


• Eye pain


• Progressive redness or copious discharge (especially in contact lens wearers)


• Severe or persistent headache


• Accidental eye exposure to toxic substances (chemical splash)


• Any discomfort following surgery that remains after taking the prescribed pain medication


• Eye or orbital trauma - even if the eye looks okay


• Intense light sensitivity


• Swelling or tenderness of the eyelids and periorbital skin


• Sudden, persistent double vision


• Facial shingles (herpes zoster)


• Nonreactive pupil


• New onset droopy eyelid

This list is not all-inclusive, but the above situations warrant prompt referral to an experienced eye doctor. If you are smart you already have an eye doctor you trust. Otherwise, you may need a referral from your primary care provider or seek care at a nearby emergency room that has ophthalmology coverage.

Here's one final precaution. So often I read messages that express hesitancy to bother the eye doctor. Baloney! The doctor went to school and trained all those years in order to become available for bothering. Doctors who are rarely bothered have very few patients - it's how the system works. If it turns out that no dire emergency has occurred you will both breath a huge sigh of relief.

We encourage everyone to continue posting to our message board. Just keep in mind that, sometimes, the best information we can provide is "Stop surfing and go get yourself some help!"

Related Topics:

• Eye Health: Choosing an Eye Doctor
• WebMD Eye Heath Center

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