Eye Emergencies in Thornton

Eye Emergencies in Thornton

Foreign objects or stabbing pains in your eye? Don’t wait!

(303) 450-0200

Experiencing a stab of pain in your eye?

Sudden changes in vision? Images appearing faded, blurry or foggy?

Got chemicals or another foreign object or substance in your eye?

Come visit EyeCare Specialties of Colorado - Thornton for emergency eye care.

Our Thornton optometrists can help you preserve your vision and eye health.

eye emergency treated at EyeCare Specialties of Colorado - Thornton

We understand that accidents happen.

Our optometrists know exactly what to do to help you through your eye care emergency.

Whether it’s a workplace accident, an at-home incident, or some other emergency requiring immediate attention, we’re here to help you preserve your eye health and sight!


What To Do If You Have an Eye Emergency

close-up of eye

First things first. Don’t panic! Staying calm is the best way to help you think straight and help those around you to remain calm. Often, it’s not necessary to go to an emergency room for eye emergencies. In fact, the vast majority of people who go to the emergency room for eye care could have received treatment from their local optometrist instead.

If you’re unsure whether you’re experiencing an eye emergency, give us a call immediately! Delay may increase the risk of serious complications and may result in vision loss.

Until you see your eye doctor or seek urgent care, avoid the following:

  • Don’t try to remove an embedded object out of your eye
  • If your eye is injured, don't press on it or rub it
  • Dry cotton and sharp instruments such as tweezers should never be used on the eye.

Whether you've had a workplace accident or an at-home incident, our eye doctors are here to help


Eye Emergencies FAQs

What is considered an eye emergency?

Eye emergencies are anything that may cause permanent damage to your eyes or vision without timely intervention from an eye care professional.

The most common types of eye emergencies include:

  • A blow, poke or other trauma to the eye
  • Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • Chemical spills in the eye
  • Foreign object embedded in the eye
  • Sudden appearance of light flashes or floaters
  • Contact lens lost in the eye
Does an eye infection require urgent care?

Symptoms of an eye infection typically include itching, burning, redness, crusty and watery eyes. See a Thornton eye doctor if your symptoms last over 4 days or if you experience intense pain, redness, blurred vision or light sensitivity.

What should I do if a foreign object enters my eye?

Most of the time, a person can easily remove debris from the eye by repeatedly blinking to get the debris out. If that doesn't work, you can wash your eye with saline (sterile salt water) to flush out any dust and dirt from your eye, or use streaming tap water.

However, to scratch your cornea while attempting to get an object out which can cause further site-threatening complications.

So the best thing you can do in this kind of eye emergency is to get to your eye doctor in Thornton as soon as possible.

Patient Reviews
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572 Reviews
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- Jul. 21, 2024
They staff was on point every step of the way. Their kindness was outstanding as well as their knowl... edge of their jobs, from the front desk to the Doctor it's was a very pleasant experience.
- Jun. 27, 2024
Enjoyable atmosphere knowledgeable st staff excellent customer service.
- Jun. 19, 2024
Love coming to this location! The staff is amazing & does a great job taking care of my vision needs... . Great service 👏
- Jun. 14, 2024
Thank you to Alex for being such a welcoming person. I have a difficult time socializing with strang... ers outside of work and he made it much easier feeling comfortable with the place. Then the doctor himself did an amazing job helping me understand what all he was showing me and talking to me about. Definitely hope to be helped by them again.
- Jun. 12, 2024
Friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. Overall great experience. Highly recommended. Thank you.
- May. 31, 2024
I've been going here for years, the process for any procedure is simply and easy for customers. They... also have a grand selection of glasses up for display.
- May. 26, 2024
Caroline and Michael are so friendly, kind, and courteous. Dr. Benjamin Mayette is friendly and answ... ers all questions and ensures you understand every aspect of your visit. I recommend them to anyone who truly wants to be taken good care of.
- May. 26, 2024
This was my first visit to EyeCare Specialties after moving back to my hometown of Thornton/Northgle... nn. I needed a new local eye doctor and chose EyeCare Specialties due to the positive reviews. I am happy to say the reviews are RIGHT ON! I was immediately greeted by one of the best opticians I’ve ever encountered, Michael. He was friendly, informative, and just made me feel welcome. Then there is Eye Doc Joel, who I just can’t say anything negative about. He was efficient, extremely knowledgeable, and made the entire exam experience enjoyable. And last but definitely not least was my girl Allie, who completed my visit and helped get my two pairs of glasses ordered. Overall, I expected a lot from this place just from the reviews I read, but they ended up blowing those expectations out of the water with a top-notch experience from start to finish. I have definitely found my new home for eye care! Thank you all!!! Jason B
- May. 24, 2024
As far as eye exams go, it was a great experience! The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and I wou... ld highly recommend the Thornton location to friends and verterans.
- May. 14, 2024
Great service and selection in glasses
- May. 09, 2024
This was the best eye care experience I've had. Very happy with the customer service and care receiv... ed here.
- May. 03, 2024
They are very professional and kind,thanks
- Apr. 24, 2024
Dr Joel Riggs and Jared made my new patient appointment both personable and professional! Smooth ope... ration they’ve got going here.
- Apr. 11, 2024
Love this place!
- Mar. 18, 2024
I have been searching for a new eye place and finally found it! The staff are all around excellent, ... kind and knowledgeable. They answered questions I didn't even know to ask. If you are looking for great care try them out. I will be a lifelong customer for sure!
- Mar. 16, 2024
Great experience here! Dr. Riggs was awesome!!
- Mar. 13, 2024
Staff, especially Michael, were extremely helpful, friendly, and engaging. They were very patient wi... th me going over the best combination of benefits for my veteran and employment insurance. There is a large selection of frames to choose from and Michael explained to me the quality of each additional coating for glasses. The physician and tech were thorough, answered my questions in detail, and were timely with exams. I also like that frames are delivered directly to your house.
- Mar. 13, 2024
I wished they would assemble the glasses on location. It would make it even better
- Mar. 12, 2024
I would recommend these people to everyone, they are great
- Mar. 07, 2024
Great people. My family goes here and will continue to do so.

View All 572 Reviews

Urgent Eye Care in Thornton

Our optometry practice in Thornton

Photograph of Joel Riggs
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Medicare
  • VSP
  • Spectera

Woman with red eyes holding her head

Have an eye emergency?

Protect your vision by contacting EyeCare Specialties of Colorado - Thornton in Thornton without delay!

(303) 450-0200