Emergency Eye Doctor in Orange County
Same-Day & Saturday Appointments

Extremely painful but usually heals in 2-3 days with treatment. We prescribe antibiotic drops and pain management.

A corneal abrasion typically feels like something is still in the eye even after the original object is gone, along with tearing, light sensitivity, and blurred vision. Common causes include fingernails, makeup brushes, tree branches, and paper edges. We stain the cornea with fluorescein dye under blue light to map the exact size and depth of the scratch before treating it.

Come in same-day — untreated scratches can become infected.

Metal shavings, wood chips, sand, or eyelashes embedded in the eye. We use specialized equipment to safely remove foreign bodies and check for corneal damage.

This is one of the most common workplace and DIY-project injuries we see — grinding metal, sawing wood, and yard work are frequent causes. Metal fragments can also leave a rust ring on the cornea that needs to be carefully removed after the fragment itself is out, which is not something a rinse at home can fix.

Don't try to remove it yourself.

Bacterial, viral, or allergic. We determine the type and prescribe the right treatment. Bacterial pink eye clears in 2-3 days with prescription drops.

The three types look similar but need different treatment — antibiotics for bacterial, supportive care for viral, and antihistamine drops for allergic. Using the wrong treatment (or an old prescription from a previous case) can prolong symptoms or mask a more serious infection, so an accurate diagnosis matters even for something this common.

Come in today — it's contagious.

Painful bumps on the eyelid. Most respond to warm compresses, but persistent or large ones need medical treatment.

A stye is an acute, painful infection at the eyelash line, while a chalazion is a slower-growing, usually painless blockage of an oil gland deeper in the lid. Both can look alarming, but most resolve with consistent warm compresses — we step in with in-office drainage or prescription treatment when they don't.

Come in if it's not improving after 48 hours or affecting your vision.

New flashes of light or a sudden increase in floaters can indicate retinal detachment — a medical emergency. We dilate and examine the retina same-day.

Occasional floaters are normal, especially as we age, but a sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light in your peripheral vision, or a dark curtain moving across your field of view are classic warning signs of a retinal tear or detachment. A dilated exam is the only reliable way to tell the difference between "normal aging" and "needs surgery this week."

Don't wait on this one.

After rinsing for 15 minutes, come straight to us. We assess corneal damage and begin treatment immediately.

Household cleaners, pool chemicals, and cosmetic products are the most common causes we see. Alkali burns (from products like drain cleaner or ammonia) tend to be more damaging than acid burns because they penetrate deeper into the eye — which is exactly why the initial rinse matters so much before you even get to us.

Time is critical — the sooner we see you, the better we can assess and treat the injury.

Hit by a ball, fist, airbag, or fall. We check for internal bleeding, retinal damage, and orbital fractures.

Sports injuries (racquetball, basketball, baseball) and airbag deployments are common causes of blunt eye trauma. We check the front of the eye for bleeding (hyphema), the internal pressure for signs of glaucoma, and the retina for tears — all things that will not be obvious just from looking at the outside of the eye.

Even if it "looks fine," internal damage can be hidden.

Stuck lens, corneal ulcer, or severe irritation. We safely remove stuck lenses and treat infections.

Sleeping in contacts, wearing them past their replacement schedule, or swimming in them are the most common causes of contact lens-related infections. A corneal ulcer starts as redness and irritation but can progress to permanent scarring and vision loss within days if the wrong bacteria is involved — this is not a "wait and see" situation.

Contact lens ulcers can become serious fast — don't wait.

Keratoconus patients who lose, crack, or damage their scleral lens may be functionally unable to see. We offer same-day evaluation and can often fit a temporary or replacement lens quickly.

Scleral lenses are custom-made, so an exact replacement takes time to fabricate — but a cracked or lost lens does not have to mean days without vision. Dr. Alexander Bonakdar keeps diagnostic and loaner scleral lenses on-site for keratoconus patients in crisis, and can often restore functional vision the same day while ordering your replacement. If your lens is cracked but still wearable, stop wearing it — a damaged edge can scratch the cornea.

Call us immediately — we prioritize KC patients who have lost their lens.

Deep inflammation inside the eye causing pain, redness, and light sensitivity. Requires prescription steroid drops — over-the-counter drops won't help.

Uveitis can be triggered by injury, infection, or autoimmune conditions, and it sometimes has no clear cause at all. It is easy to mistake for a bad case of pink eye, but the deep ache and marked light sensitivity are usually the giveaway — we check eye pressure and examine the internal structures to confirm the diagnosis and start steroid treatment quickly.

Come in same-day for diagnosis.

Bright red patch on the white of the eye (broken blood vessel). Usually harmless and resolves on its own, but we check for underlying causes.

This looks far scarier than it usually is — a small blood vessel breaks under the clear surface of the eye, often from coughing, sneezing, straining, or minor rubbing, and sometimes for no identifiable reason at all. It typically fades over 1-2 weeks like a bruise. We still like to check it, especially if it happens repeatedly or you are on blood thinners.

Come in if accompanied by pain or vision changes.