Eye Infections Treatment in Ellington, CT

Urgent care centers treat patients with injuries or illnesses that aren’t serious enough to require a trip to the emergency room but do need to be seen right away. Although specific services vary with each clinic, here are some examples of common conditions and injuries that urgent care handles:

• Cough and cold
• Flu symptoms
• Fever
• Ear infection
• Eye infection
• Sinus infection
• Sore throat
• Rashes
• Cuts and scrapes
• Insect bites, bee stings
• Minor injuries and burns
• Sprains and strains
• Fractures, dislocations

Including evenings and weekends, most urgent care centers are open after normal business hours. Many offer on-site diagnostic tests, including blood tests and X-rays. Treatment at an urgent care center has much shorter wait times and is far less expensive than the ER.

Eye infections caused by viruses are usually milder and typically resolve without treatment within a week or two. The exception to this is an eye infection caused by the herpes simplex virus, which can be a serious eye infection and lead to further complications. Bacterial eye infections often require antibiotic treatment. It is important to see a physician if your symptoms are severe or last longer than about two days because a serious eye infection can affect vision. You should contact your healthcare provider immediately if you have any vision changes.

Seek immediate medical care for an eye infection along with other serious symptoms, including severe headache, visual changes, high fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit), lethargy, stiff neck, and extreme sensitivity to light; if eye symptoms occur along with constriction of the throat or difficulty breathing; or if swelling around your eye is severe and restricts movement of your eye.

Eye infections can be uncomfortable and even painful. If left untreated, certain conditions can become serious.

There are several ways your eyes can become irritated or infected. Some common eye conditions include:

• Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis
• Dry eye, which can occur when tear ducts can’t lubricate the eye
• Blepharitis, where the eyelid becomes inflamed and crusted
• Styes
• Keratitis, an infection of the cornea

Thankfully, several home remedies are effective in treating eye infections and can help you soothe the symptoms. Although these home remedies can help in the treatment of eye infections, it’s always best to call your primary care physician before trying any at-home treatments.

Although doctors conclude that some signs are indicative of either viral or bacterial infections, viral and bacterial pink eye have pretty similar symptoms. For example, whereas those bothered by a bacterial infection do not, many people who experience viral conjunctivitis also experience cold and upper respiratory infections and symptoms. Those with a viral infection may experience coughing, sneezing, and other cold-like symptoms along with other symptoms of pink eye. This is likely because the adenovirus that causes viral pink eye infections is also responsible for colds.

People with a bacterial pink eye infection usually notice a thick yellow, green or white discharge coming out of one or both eyes. Due to the excessive amount of discharge, many times the eye also crumbles over.

Perhaps the biggest difference between bacterial and viral pink eye infections is that viral infections often occur in both eyes at the same time. Bacterial infections occur in just one eye more often than not, although a double bacterial pink eye infection is not impossible.

If you or someone you know has an eye infection, come to Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic! Our team of professional staff is experienced in treating eye infections and can provide you with the relief you need! To talk with an expert, contact our office today. Visit us online or give us a call to schedule an appointment at our clinic. We serve patients from Ellington CT, Unionville CT, East Haven CT, Cromwell CT, Oxford, CT and Newington, CT, and BEYOND!