Same-Day Emergency Eye Assessments 

Sudden eye symptoms should never be ignored. At Edgbaston Eye Clinic, Mr Don Williams provides urgent eye assessments for patients experiencing acute eye problems, including sudden red or bloodshot eye, flashes and floaters, foreign body symptoms, eye pain, sudden vision change or loss of vision.

Where possible, same-day emergency eye appointments may be available, subject to clinical urgency and appointment availability.

Symptoms that may need urgent assessment

You should arrange an urgent eye appointment if you experience any sudden or concerning eye symptoms, including:

Sudden onset flashes or floaters
A shadow, curtain or veil across the vision
Sudden blurred vision or loss of vision
Sudden red eye, especially with pain or light sensitivity
Foreign body sensation or suspected material in the eye
Contact lens-related red eye or pain
New distortion, wavy lines or central vision change
Painful eye with headache, nausea or haloes around lights
Recent eye surgery with new symptoms

New flashes, floaters, blurred vision, eye pain, or a shadow/curtain in the vision are recognised warning symptoms that require urgent eye assessment.

What happens during an urgent eye appointment?

Your assessment will be tailored to your symptoms. This may include checking your vision, measuring eye pressure, examining the front of the eye with a slit lamp, using fluorescein dye if a corneal problem is suspected, dilating the pupils to examine the retina, and performing imaging such as OCT or ultra-widefield retinal imaging where clinically indicated.

The aim is to identify the cause of the symptoms, provide treatment where appropriate, and arrange onward referral if urgent hospital or specialist care is required.

Important emergency advice

Edgbaston Eye Clinic is not a 24-hour emergency department. If you have a chemical injury, severe trauma, sudden severe loss of vision, or symptoms outside clinic hours, you should seek immediate help through NHS 111, 999, A&E or your local hospital eye casualty service.

If you are unsure whether your symptoms are urgent, it is safer to seek advice promptly.

Contact Edgbaston Eye Clinic

For urgent eye symptoms or to request a same-day emergency eye appointment in Birmingham, please contact Edgbaston Eye Clinic as soon as possible.

Same-day appointments are subject to availability and clinical urgency. Please note that dilating drops may be required during the examination, so you may be advised not to drive immediately afterwards.