• Reference Number: HEY1011/2025
• Departments: Emergency Department
• Last Updated: 30 November 2025

Introduction

This advice sheet has been produced to give you information about eye injuries or infections. It is not meant to replace discussion between you and your doctor. If after reading it and you require further explanation, please discuss this with the relevant person who has been caring for you.

You will have been examined by a practitioner and have been given information about your eye injury or infection. Following the examination, another appointment may have been made for you so that the practitioner can perform further assessments, review your treatment or to check that your condition is improving. An appointment may alternatively be made for you to attend the Eye Clinic.

An appointment has been made for you to attend the Eye Clinic (located in the Eye Hospital at Hull Royal Infirmary) on _____________________ at __________________

Occasionally when you attend the Eye Clinic, the clinician carrying out your eye assessment may use eye drops which can affect vision for a short while. It is advisable to get a friend or relative to bring you or arrange transport to and from the appointment.

What to expect with your eye injury / infection

• The eye will be very sensitive; however, your symptoms should settle within 3 to 5 days
• You should return to the Emergency Department if symptoms worsen or continue for longer than the time stated
• You are advised not to drive if your vision is affected
• You may be given ointment or drops to administer into the affected eye(s)

Symptoms and pain may be relieved by:

• Resting your eyes by sitting in a dark room or trying to sleep
• Using an eye patch. This may be of benefit at initial onset
• Using the eye drops or ointment as advised as they will help
• Wearing dark glasses if you find that bright light aggravates your eyes.

How to use your ointment / eye drops

These should be instilled into the affected left and / or right eye(s) _________________Times daily, For _____________ days

• First wash your both hands
• Tilt your head backwards
• With your finger gently pull-down lower lid
• Apply a small amount of ointment or one drop into the space between your eye and lower lid
• Try not to touch the eye or lid with the tube / bottle
• Close your eye then blink several times
• Your vision may be affected for a few minutes, do not drive or operative machinery until your vision has returned to normal
• If you have any ointment / drops left following treatment they should be discarded after 4 weeks.

Pain Relief Medication

To manage your pain, we advise that you regularly take simple pain relief that are readily accessible at your local pharmacy or store. If you have allergies or conditions which prevent the use of pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medication, please seek advice from your GP or a pharmacist.

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this advice sheet, please do not hesitate to contact the Emergency Department.

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.