This site provides general eye-health education. It cannot replace individual assessment by a registered doctor, and does not offer personal diagnosis, prescriptions, bookings, sales or referrals.
If translations differ or are incomplete, the Traditional Chinese (zh-Hant) text on this site prevails.
Emergencies and same-day care
A private clinic is not A&E: with any red flag below, go straight to A&E. Below: go to A&E now versus same-day ophthalmic assessment. Chemical splash is listed separately (irrigate while going to A&E). Suspected penetrating injury / ruptured globe is also separate (do not irrigate as for chemical injury).
Go to A&E now; if you cannot get there: call 999
- Sudden drop in vision or sudden blindness
- A curtain, a large field cut, or a cloth-like shadow
- Brief monocular blackout (one eye goes dark or blank, then recovers)
- New double vision with neurological / red-flag companions (e.g. dilated pupil, ptosis, limb weakness, slurred speech, severe headache, jaw claudication / scalp tenderness suggesting giant cell arteritis, or after head / orbital trauma)
- Severe eye pain with headache and vomiting (rule out acute angle-closure glaucoma)
- Chemical splash (irrigate first, go to A&E while irrigating)
- Penetrating injury, suspected ruptured globe, or other severe trauma
- Stroke signs (face droop, limb weakness, slurred speech) plus vision change
- After an intravitreal (into-the-eye) injection: worse pain, worse redness, or a sharp vision drop (rule out endophthalmitis)
Chemical splash in the eye
- Irrigate at once with plenty of clean water or saline for at least 20–30 minutes, holding the lids open. Continue during transport if you can. Do not wait for a special irrigating fluid.
- Remove contact lenses if they come out easily; do not stop irrigation for long just to remove them.
- Do not use neutralizing agents, oil or eye drops “to try first”. Do not wait for a private clinic to open before irrigating.
- Go to A&E while irrigating. If you cannot get there: call 999. Bring the chemical name if known.
Suspected penetrating injury or ruptured globe
Suspected penetrating injury or ruptured globe: do not press on the eye, do not remove a foreign body yourself, and do not irrigate forcefully or apply ointment you have at home. Protect with a clean shield or paper cup (do not press). Go to A&E now. If you cannot get there: call 999.
Call 999Prompt ophthalmic assessment (same day if possible — see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible)
Flashes / floaters need urgent ophthalmic assessment; dilated fundus exam is a common step, but what is done is decided by the duty doctor — dilation alone is not enough. Without a curtain and without sudden blindness: same-day assessment as soon as possible by an ophthalmologist who can dilate, or by A&E eye care. Some private ophthalmologists (eye specialists) can arrange same-day appointments, so call ahead to ask. If you can't be seen the same day, go to A&E.
- New double vision without the neurological / red-flag companions above: same-day assessment as soon as possible by an ophthalmologist who can examine the nerves, or by A&E eye care
- New or suddenly increased flashes or floaters: urgent ophthalmic assessment is needed (dilated fundus exam is a common step, but what is done is decided by the duty doctor — dilation alone is not enough). If there is also vision loss or a curtain, go to A&E now; if you cannot get there: call 999. Without a curtain and without sudden blindness: same-day assessment as soon as possible by an ophthalmologist who can dilate, or by A&E eye care.
- A red, painful eye without severe pain with vomiting or sudden blindness — same-day ophthalmic assessment
- Contact-lens-related pain and light sensitivity — same-day assessment; do not delay if pain continues after lens removal
Open related diagrams
After A&E triage you may be referred to public hospital ophthalmology, or you may see any registered ophthalmologist. This site does not refer. This content cannot replace an in-person consultation with a registered ophthalmologist and is not a diagnosis. See Law and professional code.