
To meet the urgent care gaps in our community, the Waterloo Eye Institute is triaging and offering tele-optometric or in-person care as needed.
What is an urgent eye care concern?
Urgent eye care concerns include:
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Changes in vision such as sudden spots, flashes of light, wavy or jagged lines, blurry faces, halos around lights or double vision
- Changes in the field of vision such as black spots or blurriness in central or peripheral (side) vision
- Physical changes to the eye such as signs of infection (redness, swelling, discharge, etc.)
- Sudden eye pain
- Suspected eye abrasion
- Suspected foreign body in the eye
This is not a complete list. If you have other acute symptoms that worry you, seek immediate care.
Who should I call if I have an urgent eye care concern?
Please call your regular optometrist first. If necessary, they may refer you to the Waterloo Eye Institute or to a hospital (usually St. Mary’s if you’re in Waterloo Region).
If your optometrist refers you to us, or if the Waterloo Eye Institute is your normal eye care provider, call 519-888-4623 to make an appointment at our Waterloo Clinic.
We are typically open for in-person urgent care appointments:
Who should I call after hours?
We offer an after-hours on-call service by telephone during the following times:
- Monday to Friday: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
To get urgent eye care service during the above hours, call our dedicated line at 519-888-4567, ext. 40600. Depending on the situation, our on-call optometrist may advise you on how to look after your eyes at home, to book an appointment with our in-person urgent care service during regular business hours, or to go to a hospital emergency department.
If you need urgent eye care outside our after-hours on-call times, call St. Mary's Hospital at 519-744-3311. If you’re outside Waterloo Region, go to the nearest emergency room.
Contact
Urgent eye care services by appointment are offered at our Waterloo Clinic. Call 519-888-4623 during regular business hours to make an appointment.
Address: Unit C, 419 Phillip St., Waterloo
During our after-hours on-call times (see below), call 519-888-4567, ext. 40600 for advice by phone.