To think you don’t go to A&E for eye pain?

[Lis1992]

A friend suggested I consider it, to make sure my vision is protected. But I’d never even consider it for eye pain, unless I had an acute injury. Basically had eye pain starting yesterday, and swelling of eyelid. It’s really red and it is quite swollen. Eye is sore every time I blink. But I’m not systemically unwell- normal appetite etc. a quick Google also mentioned get immediate medical attention for pain. But surely conjunctivitis, styes (don’t think it’s that as whole eyelid swollen- no lump or pimple) , all hurt? so why go to A&E? Or am I missing something!

Look up "minor eye conditions service"

She doesn't need a vision test or new glasses! She is experiencing pain and the only thing an optician would do is to refer her to the eye unit at the hospital! Opticians know their job and it's to preserve people's vision. When something is outside their expertise, they refer on

We don't have a local eye casualty and ophthalmology doesn't take walk-ins so an optometrist can check eyes for damage (much better than a gp can) then refer you for a same day hospital appt without having to sit in A&E for 4+ hours. It's a sensible suggestion.

Alternatively I'd probably call 111 or try for a same day GP appt. As many pp have said, best not to fuck about with eyes.

Depends what the eye pain is! Symptoms of a detached retina - yes, A&E. Conjunctivitis? No. A pharmacy.

My optician also works at the Opthalmology centre at the hospital. Lots of private opticians have links. I would go to an opticians first. They don't just check sight these days, many have advanced specialists in diagnostics and can spot all sorts of unrelated illnesses.

Why obviously? It’s not an accident and probably isn’t an emergency either.

I woke up a few years back with eye pain, from eyelid felt like it was scraping a cross my eye, watering and pain was intense. This was a pre covid Sunday am I walked to our local. Minor injuries and the diagnosed me (eyeblob!) I don't know if you have any walk in clinics near you. The relief when I had the drops was instant!
The hospital sadly is now closed

I had a corneal ulcer a few months ago and ended up in hospital for 5 days and have still not fully regained the vision in my eye. Do not wait or mess around with your eyesight!

I'd go to a pharmacy or phone 111. A&E is for actual emergencies. Why you'd want to sit there for hours unless absolutely necessary is beyond me.

My GP told me to go to the emergency eye clinic first thing in the morning. When I got there, they said I had to go to A & E to get a referral - it was just a formality, getting a form signed.

I am not sure how you could have been able to tell by looking at me, the concern was the pressure in my eyes was high? (As measured by the opticians)

Our local hospital doesn't have an eye casualty, but they do have a rapid access eye clinic - you have to be sent there by GP or optician. DH has been twice, both with peri orbital cellulitis (no fever, not systematically unwell) but the first time was via the optician who will always squeeze someone in between booked appointments and he was seen the same morning as it started, at the hospital an hour later. The second time as he knew what it was, he got into the GP hoping to avoid the hospital bit, but still needed to be seen there.

So I'd say optician first if you can physically get to one and they are helpful, otherwise GP if same day (some are better with eyes than others), but A&E if neither of those is possible

Some of the complete rubbish posted on here is dangerous. Your eyes are precious, if anyone is worried about their eyes go to eye casualty. Do not wait, do not see a pharmacist, do not see an optician.

My friend told me earlier this week that the sight in her left eye was cloudy. She didn’t want to bother A & E, so she made a routine appointment with Spec Savers. I told her to get to A & E ASAP. Luckily she went and she has a bleed inside her eye, which requires urgent treatment.

If there is an emergency eye clinic that is where you need to go - hopefully you have had the eye looked at already - but on the off chance you haven't you should go.
If you do not have an emergency eye clinic go to the GP or optician as an emergency and they will refer you to the hospital if necessary.

Do not fuck around with your sight. Better to overreact than underreact with anything to do with eyes.

It depends very much what sort of redness/swelling/pain. An eye that is red inside, feels gritty and sore, and that I think is probably conjunctivitis, I'd try the pharmacist first, if simple home remedies like compresses, antihistamines, or eye drops from the chemist didn't help. Then if it still looked serious, optician/GP.

If it looked more swollen, and had pain in a way that I thought might mean an infection, something in my eye, or damage to the eyeball etc, and it appeared to be getting worse in any way, then either optometrist during the day or A&E at night. If it affected my vision, then definitely.

If it was more of a visual issue, like floaters and flashes, then depending on the local area, whatever it took to get seen at eye department - in my case, opticians first, who then referred to GP, who then referred to hospital , and that was actuallyl very inefficient and could have led to serious issues if I hadn't been insistent about getting the delayed referral phoned in as urgent. I don't think in this area you can just show up to the eye department, even if you have had previous issues (I was told that I should go in if it happened again in the other eye, which is very common, but it's not clear quite how I'd go about that now!).

But just red and sore, I'd make a judgement depending on previous experience about whether I felt OK waiting til morning or not, depending on what local facilities are. I wouldn't go in for just any redness or some swelling of eyelid, or I'd be in there all the time! But I know what my eyes are like, how allergies affect them, what is different, etc., so I'd make the judgement on that.

I wish optometrists/opticians offered an appointment that was clearly for eye health. Mine only seem to book sight tests, which I don't need again. Or I could probably ask to be seen, but it's not clear how much they would charge or what type of appointment to book, and if I had to go back for repeat visits, it's still not clear how/when I'd need to pay, but I'd feel guilty if they just said come back for checks. Mine isn't part of the minor eye conditions service, which would help.

@Lis1992 are you ok? Have you been seen?

Go to the optician and ask their opinion. If it needs attention they will refer you to a&e

Many people do not live anywhere near an “eye casualty” though.

An optician is easily accessible and has the expertise and equipment to know what needs to be done, and has access to channels for very quick direct referral to get someone to see the correct person at the hospital if and when needed.

Your friend could in all probability have got a special emergency appointment with Specsavers or another optician, who would have referred her directly by phone/email and got her an actual appointment with the hospital rather than her having to wait in A&E.

I always go to A&E for eye issues. We have a history of sight loss in the family and when any of us present at A&E with any eye issue it's always taken very seriously.

There's a difference between making a routine specsavers appointment and a proper triage pathway.

Our NHS trust as appointed that can take emergency referrals. It doesn't have to be your optician.

They then can refer to eye casualty. You can't self-refer.

Or eye casualty has a telephone triage service. You can't just turn up.

Google your local MECS service. (Minor eye condition service) and they will tell you how to access.

Please don't let strangers attempt to diagnose you with conditions over the bloody internet. From what you've described, I would definitely be seeking immediate advice from a medical professional, whether that's a GP or an optician or A&E.

Yes, it could be something really minor. But it could also not be. Only a qualified medical professional who has actually examined your eye could possibly tell you, so get it looked at as soon as possible.

I wouldn't suggest pharmacist as PP - I think they're generally great but I went with similar and they thought it was conjunctivitis- it was Iritis - which I've now had for about 15 years and is a real PITA - A&E will get an on duty emergency ophthalmologist to you - better safe than sorry my sight was never the same again.

I think your friend is just looking out for you but there seems to be a competitive not going to a&e theme on Mumsnet. Unless your head is hanging on by a thread.

Our gp won’t see us, no matter what the issue. They advise to go to a&e on the phone instead no matter what the problem.

but for this I’d go to

the pharmacy
the optician
Moorfields in an emergency

It could be a stroke or aneurism, bone infection, anything. YABU

I really don’t think a swollen eyelid could be any of those things.

Also it’s easy to say you would go to Moorfields, but most people don’t live anywhere near Moorfields or anywhere like it (there aren’t many Eye Hospitals).

There are working pathways to get you to the correct place with the correct urgency and these days they start with opticians.

Hi- quick update. I didn’t go go to work today and instead got a GP appointment. He said it was an eye infection/stye and that the eyelid had swelled. Prescribed me antibiotic eye drops and Paracetomol for the pain. I’m glad I got it checked now, and know that it’s nothing major. As everyone said, don’t mess with eyes! Thanks all.

@Lamelie Yes thank you so much for asking. I posted an update above :)

I wouldn’t go to A&E in the first instance. Pharmacist or even high street optician (assuming someone was free to have a quick look in between bookings) then proceed from there.

I would get it checked out but not a and e.
You could try opticians (ours do same day for issues), an opthalmics department (ours has a walk in department), gp or pharmacist.

Do get it checked out. I had shingles in my eye and has left me with long-term damage. Things like shingles, infections etc have better recovery if treated early.