Foreign objects or stabbing pains in your eye? Don’t wait!
Eye Emergencies in Waite Park
Experiencing a stab of pain in your eye?
Sudden changes in vision? Images appearing faded, blurry or foggy?
Got chemicals or another foreign object or substance in your eye?
Come visit Insight EyeCare - Waite Park for emergency eye care.
Our Waite Park optometrists can help you preserve your vision and eye health.
We understand that accidents happen.
Our optometrists know exactly what to do to help you through your eye care emergency.
Whether it’s a workplace accident, an at-home incident, or some other emergency requiring immediate attention, we’re here to help you preserve your eye health and sight!
What To Do If You Have an Eye Emergency
First things first. Don’t panic! Staying calm is the best way to help you think straight and help those around you to remain calm. Often, it’s not necessary to go to an emergency room for eye emergencies. In fact, the vast majority of people who go to the emergency room for eye care could have received treatment from their local optometrist instead.
If you’re unsure whether you’re experiencing an eye emergency, give us a call immediately! Delay may increase the risk of serious complications and may result in vision loss.
Until you see your eye doctor or seek urgent care, avoid the following:
- Don’t try to remove an embedded object out of your eye
- If your eye is injured, don’t press on it or rub it
- Dry cotton and sharp instruments such as tweezers should never be used on the eye.
Whether you’ve had a workplace accident or an at-home incident, our eye doctors are here to help
Eye Emergencies FAQs
Eye emergencies are anything that may cause permanent damage to your eyes or vision without timely intervention from an eye care professional.
The most common types of eye emergencies include:
- A blow, poke or other trauma to the eye
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Chemical spills in the eye
- Foreign object embedded in the eye
- Sudden appearance of light flashes or floaters
- Contact lens lost in the eye
Symptoms of an eye infection typically include itching, burning, redness, crusty and watery eyes. See a Waite Park eye doctor if your symptoms last over 4 days or if you experience intense pain, redness, blurred vision or light sensitivity.
Most of the time, a person can easily remove debris from the eye by repeatedly blinking to get the debris out. If that doesn’t work, you can wash your eye with saline (sterile salt water) to flush out any dust and dirt from your eye, or use streaming tap water.
However, you may scratch your cornea while attempting to get an object out which can cause further sight-threatening complications.
So the best thing you can do in this kind of eye emergency is to get to your eye doctor in Waite Park as soon as possible.
Meet our Eye Doctors
Bennett Nelson O.D.
Language:
English
Dr. Nelson received his B.S. in biology from Western Illinois University in 1986. He then went on to complete his Doctor of Optometry at the Indiana University School of Optometry in Bloomington, Indiana by 1991. Dr. Nelson joined a…
Whitney Welder O.D.
Whitney Welder, O.D., received her Doctor of Optometry from Drexel University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Dr. Welder chose a career in optometry after experiencing firsthand how…
Melanie Thares O.D.
Melanie Thares, O.D., received her Doctor of Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. Dr. Thares is an…
Lanette Green O.D.
Language:
English
- Accepting New Patients
- Family Friendly
- In Person Appointments
- Professional Certification
Lanette Green, O.D. received her Doctor of Optometry from Illinois College of Optometry in 2001 and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Indiana University in 1996. Dr. Green's regular appointments with the eye doctor as a…
Alexander Paradis O.D.
Language:
English
Dr. Alexander W. Paradis is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Minnesota Optometric Association. He is certified by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry as a licensed therapeutic optometrist with strong…
Anna C. Malikowski O.D.
Language:
English
- Accepting New Patients
- Family Friendly
- In Person Appointments
- Professional Certification
Dr. Anna Malikowski is a member of the American Optometric Association, the Minnesota Optometric Association, and the American Optometric Society. She is board certified by the International Association of Board Examiners as a licensed…
Patient Reviews
4.8
523 Reviews
Lynel J. - Apr 28, 2026
Dr. Paradis is a wonderful eye doctor. I would recommend him to anyone.
cathy h. - Apr 13, 2026
Really superb customer service and eyeglass selection. Even adjusted a pair of eyeglasses we didn't ... Show Morebuy there. Have purchased 4 pair of eyeglasses from here recently for the two of us. Savanna is great.
Urgent Eye Care in Waite Park
Hours Show More
- Monday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Tuesday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Wednesday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Thursday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Saturday Closed
- Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans Show More
- VSP
- Medicare
- United Healthcare
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Spectera
- Davis Vision
- EyeMed
- Superior Vision
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Have an eye emergency?
Protect your vision by contacting Insight EyeCare - Waite Park in Waite Park without delay!