Sudden eye problems and where to get seen quickly

Key rules

• Same-day care: Sudden vision loss, a red painful eye or an eye injury needs care the same day, not a routine appointment.
• Chemical splash: Rinse the eye with water at once, then go to urgent care.
• Finding the hospital: Your primary care centre or 112 can tell you which hospital covers your area.
• Private insurance: Insured patients usually need the insurer's authorisation or must use its approved list.

Eye emergency hours, hospital cover and private prices vary by region and clinic, so confirm with the hospital, clinic or 112 before you travel.

When an eye problem cannot wait

Sudden vision loss, a red painful eye or an eye injury needs same-day care. Go to a hospital with ophthalmology urgencias or to a private urgent eye centre. Availability varies by region, so do not wait for a routine appointment.

Get seen today if you have any of these:

• Sudden loss or a marked drop of vision in one or both eyes.
• Sudden flashes of light, a shower of new floaters, or a curtain or shadow across your vision. This can mean a detached retina.
• Eye pain with redness, nausea or halos around lights. This can be acute glaucoma.
• A chemical splash. Rinse the eye with water straight away, then go.
• A penetrating or blunt injury to the eye.
• A foreign body you cannot remove.
• Sudden double vision.
• A painful red eye if you wear contact lenses. Take the lenses out.
• A red or swollen eye in a newborn.
• Sudden eyelid swelling with fever or pain when you move the eye.

No single national list exists. Hospitals and regional health services publish their own versions, but these are the usual warning signs.

Option 1: hospital urgencias

Eye emergencies in the public system are run by each region. They usually go through the emergency department (urgencias) of a reference hospital, with an on-call ophthalmologist or a dedicated eye emergency unit. Your primary care centre or the 112 line can tell you which hospital covers your area.

Large hospitals with round-the-clock eye cover include:

• Madrid: Clínico San Carlos, La Paz, Ramón y Cajal, 12 de Octubre.
• Barcelona: Hospital Clínic, Vall d'Hebron, Bellvitge.
• Valencia: La Fe.
• Seville: Virgen del Rocío, Virgen Macarena.
• Bilbao: Cruces.
• Santiago: Hospital Clínico.

Option 2: a private urgent eye centre

Many private eye centres and hospital groups offer same-day urgent appointments. Some run 24-hour eye emergency services. Urgent visits cost more than routine ones, and tests add to the price. Ask the price when you call.

If you have private insurance, you usually need the insurer's authorisation or must use its approved list. Call the insurer first, unless the problem is severe. In that case, get care first and sort out the paperwork afterwards.

What to do in the next hour

Use the decision and checklist below to choose and prepare. If you are not sure whether your symptoms count, treat them as urgent.

Choosing between options

Does your eye problem need care today, and where should you go?

• Go to hospital urgencias now: You have sudden loss of vision, flashes of light, a shower of new floaters or a curtain across your sight, eye pain with redness, nausea or halos, a chemical splash, an eye injury, a stuck foreign body, sudden double vision, or a newborn's red or swollen eye.

• Go to a private urgent eye centre: You have the same kind of symptoms and prefer private care or have insurance that covers it, and the centre can see you the same day.

• Book a routine appointment: Your eyes are mildly irritated or tired, your vision has not changed suddenly, and there is no pain, injury or marked redness.

If your sight changed suddenly, or you have pain with redness, an injury or a chemical splash, get seen the same day. For a chemical splash, rinse with water first. A painful red eye in a contact lens wearer, or sudden eyelid swelling with fever or pain on moving the eye, also needs same-day care.

Checklist

• Go to the emergency department of your regional reference hospital if the problem started suddenly.

• Ask for the on-call ophthalmologist or the eye emergency unit when you arrive.

• Call 112 or your primary care centre if you are unsure which hospital covers your area.

• Call a private urgent eye centre and ask whether it can see you the same day and at what price.

• Contact your insurer before going to a private centre, to check whether it needs to authorise the visit or only covers its approved list.

• Bring your health card or insurance details and a list of any eye drops or medicines you use.

Frequently asked questions

Do private eye centres in Spain offer same-day urgent appointments?

Yes, many private eye centres and hospital groups offer same-day urgent appointments, and some run 24-hour eye emergency services. Urgent consultations cost more than routine visits, and the price depends on the clinic and the tests needed. Ask the clinic for the price when you call.

What if I have private health insurance and need urgent eye care?

Insured patients usually need the insurer's authorisation or must use its approved list of clinics. Call your insurer first to find out which urgent eye centre it covers. If your sight is at risk, do not wait for approval to get seen.

Who sends me to the eye emergency unit?

Your primary care centre or the 112 line usually refers you to the reference hospital for your area. That hospital has an on-call ophthalmologist or a dedicated eye emergency unit. Large hospitals in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao and Santiago have 24-hour eye cover.