Family in Town for the Holidays? What to Do About an Eye Injury or Emergency in Montecito

The holidays fill Montecito homes with guests: grandchildren on scooters, uncles splitting firewood, and someone opening a bottle of champagne a little too fast. Most visits end with nothing worse than a full stomach. But if an eye gets hurt, it helps to know in advance what is urgent and where to go.

Signs of a serious eye injury

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) advises getting medical help right away for any of these:

• Ongoing eye pain or trouble seeing
• A cut or torn eyelid
• One eye that does not move as well as the other, or sticks out farther
• An unusual pupil size or shape
• Blood in the clear part of the eye
• Something in the eye or under the lid that tears and blinking cannot remove

The AAO also warns: do not try to treat a serious eye injury yourself. Do not rub, press or try to pull out an object stuck in the eye.

Go local for emergencies

Our office is in Westlake Village, about 60 miles down the 101 from Montecito. That is too far for an emergency. For a serious injury, a chemical splash or sudden vision loss, go to the nearest emergency department in the Santa Barbara area or call 911. Speed matters more than who treats it.

When a video visit is the right first step

Not every eye problem is an emergency. For a mild, lingering irritation, a red eye without pain or vision change, or questions after an urgent care visit, start with a free VIP video consult. We can look at the eye on camera, talk through symptoms and tell you honestly whether you need to be seen in person, and where.

A holiday safety checklist

• Point champagne corks away from people and cover the cork with a towel.
• Wear safety glasses for yard work, woodcutting and power tools.
• Keep cleaning sprays out of reach of visiting children.
• Save the number of your nearest emergency department in your phone.

Guests who arrive with dry, irritated eyes after a long flight can find help at this dry eye resource.

Questions that are not emergencies? Call our Westlake Village office at (805) 230-2126.

I would always rather a Montecito patient get to a nearby emergency room quickly than drive an hour to see me. We can follow up together afterward.

Source: Recognizing and Treating Eye Injuries (American Academy of Ophthalmology). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.