Symptoms That Require Urgent Retinal Evaluation
The following symptoms may indicate a serious retinal condition requiring prompt attention. Do not wait for a routine appointment if you are experiencing any of the following:
- A sudden increase in floaters — especially a shower of new spots or strings
- Flashes of light, particularly in peripheral vision
- A dark curtain, shadow, or veil spreading across any part of your vision
- Sudden painless loss of vision in one eye
- Blurred or distorted central vision that came on suddenly
- A gray or dark spot in the center of your vision
- Vision that appears wavy or bent
- Loss of peripheral (side) vision
If you are experiencing sudden complete vision loss in one eye, go to the nearest emergency room immediately. Retinal artery occlusion is a stroke of the eye and requires emergency evaluation within hours. Call 911 or have someone drive you — do not drive yourself.
Conditions We Evaluate Urgently
- Retinal detachment — A sight-threatening emergency requiring same-day surgical evaluation
- Retinal tears — Treatable in the office with laser when caught before detachment occurs
- Posterior vitreous detachment with complications — Requires dilated exam to rule out associated tear
- Vitreous hemorrhage — Sudden bleeding into the vitreous from diabetic retinopathy or retinal tear
- Retinal artery occlusion — Emergency evaluation for sudden painless vision loss
- Retinal vein occlusion — Prompt evaluation for sudden blurring or visual field loss
- Acute macular degeneration — New distortion or sudden central vision change in a known AMD patient
- Traumatic eye injury — Evaluation of the posterior segment following blunt or penetrating trauma
What to Do Right Now
If you are experiencing any urgent retinal symptoms, call our office directly. We make every effort to see urgent patients the same day or next day. Please do not delay evaluation — many retinal conditions are treatable when caught early but can result in permanent vision loss if ignored.
If our office is closed and you believe you are experiencing a retinal detachment or sudden complete vision loss, go to the nearest hospital emergency room and ask for an ophthalmology consult.
For Referring Providers
We welcome urgent referrals from ophthalmologists, optometrists, primary care physicians, and emergency departments throughout North Georgia. Please call us directly for time-sensitive cases. We prioritize same-day evaluation for all urgent retinal referrals and will communicate back to your office promptly following the visit.
Serving: Sugar Hill, Buford, Suwanee, Cumming, Gainesville, Braselton, Winder, Canton, Alpharetta, and all of North Georgia. Conveniently located at 4749 Nelson Brogdon Blvd, Suite S-102, Buford, GA 30518.