Urgent Eye Care … 5 Reasons to Call Your Optometrist First, instead of going to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care

When you suddenly get a red, painful, or blurry eye, it’s natural to panic and head straight to the nearest ER or urgent care. But if you live in South Jordan, Utah, or the surrounding areas of Herriman, Riverton, West Jordan, Sandy, or Draper, there’s often a better first step:

Call Progressive Eye Care.

Our optometrists — Dr. Jeffrey Broadhead, OD; Dr. Michael Hope, OD; Dr. Michael Chism, OD; and Dr. Ana Schroeder, OD — focus exclusively on eye problems all day, every day. In many cases, we can get you in quickly, provide more precise care, and help you avoid the cost and hassle of an ER visit.

👉 You can call us during office hours for urgent appointments, and our doctors are often available after hours to give guidance by phone for urgent eye concerns.

If you ever have a true medical emergency (severe trauma, sudden complete loss of vision, or serious whole-body symptoms) or cannot reach us promptly, the ER, urgent care, or calling 911 is still appropriate and may be necessary.

1. Specialized Knowledge and Expertise

Eye Doctors Are Eye-Problem Experts

At Progressive Eye Care, our optometrists are trained specifically in eye health and vision care. We diagnose and treat:

Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
Corneal scratches and eye injuries
Sudden vision changes
Glaucoma and retinal conditions

When you call us first, you’re going directly to someone who handles eye emergencies daily — not a general medical provider who may only see eye problems occasionally.

Tools Designed for Eye Emergencies

Our South Jordan office is equipped with specialized diagnostic technology rarely found in ERs or urgent care clinics, including:

Slit lamps
Digital retinal imaging
OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography)

These tools let us examine the eye in far greater detail, leading to faster and more accurate diagnosis and treatment.

2. Faster and More Efficient Care

Shorter Waits, Less Stress

ERs prioritize life-threatening issues. That’s great when you’re having a heart attack — but not when you have a painful eye. Eye cases often wait for hours.

Because we focus on eye care, we can often:

Offer same-day or next-day urgent visits
Move you through more efficiently
Begin treatment immediately

Direct Access to an Eye Doctor

When you call Progressive Eye Care, you’re speaking with a clinic that deals with eye problems all day long. Our team can:

Ask appropriate questions over the phone
Determine how urgent your situation is
Get you scheduled quickly

3. Comprehensive and Tailored Treatment

Care Personalized to You

Because we maintain your full eye health history, your doctor can review:

Past prescriptions
Prior eye conditions
Systemic health factors
Current medications

This helps Dr. Broadhead, Dr. Hope, Dr. Chism, and Dr. Schroeder tailor your treatment more precisely than an ER provider who has never seen your eyes before.

Continuity of Care

Urgent care visits are one-and-done.
But at Progressive Eye Care, we:

Recheck healing
Adjust medications if needed
Monitor for complications
Support long-term visual health

This ongoing follow-up is essential for preventing worsening symptoms or long-term damage.

4. A More Cost-Effective Solution

Avoid Surprise ER Bills

Even with insurance, ER visits can involve:

High copays
Deductibles
Facility fees

Urgent care centers can still be costly — and may not have the tools needed to properly diagnose your eye condition.

At Progressive Eye Care, most urgent visits are covered by your medical insurance, and our team clearly explains your benefits before your visit.

Accurate Diagnosis Without Unnecessary Tests

ERs often use tests that are costly and may not even help diagnose eye conditions.

Optometrists use targeted eye-specific testing like:

Slit-lamp evaluation
Retinal imaging
OCT scans

When we can see the problem immediately, you avoid unnecessary (and expensive) medical tests.

5. Proper Referrals and Follow-Up — Without the Runaround

Fast Access to the Right Specialists

If your eye condition requires an ophthalmologist — such as a retina or cornea surgeon — our doctors can connect you with trusted specialists quickly. We work closely with many of Utah’s top eye surgeons.

Follow-Up Care ERs Can’t Provide

Urgent care and ER teams treat the moment — then send you home.

But many eye issues need follow-up. Even small corneal injuries can worsen without re-evaluation.

We routinely:

Recheck symptoms
Make medication adjustments
Ensure proper healing
Monitor your progress over several days or weeks

This is why families across South Jordan, Herriman, Riverton, Sandy, Draper, and West Jordan trust Progressive Eye Care with their urgent eye care needs.

What To Do Next — Your Vision Deserves the Right Kind of Urgent Care

Eye symptoms can be scary, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. At Progressive Eye Care in South Jordan, our optometrists — Dr. Jeff Broadhead, OD; Dr. Michael Hope, OD; Dr. Aubri St. Clair, OD; and Dr. Lisa Schroeder, OD — provide urgent eye care every day for patients from South Jordan, Herriman, Riverton, West Jordan, Draper, and throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

Because we specialize exclusively in eye health, we can diagnose, treat, and manage most eye emergencies faster, more accurately, and more affordably than an ER or urgent care.

After-Hours Support When You Need It

Eye problems don’t always happen during business hours. If you experience sudden symptoms after hours, call:

📞 (385) 503-7680
Our voicemail will guide you on how to connect with our on-call provider when appropriate.

Know What Counts as Urgent

Not sure whether your symptoms require same-day care?
Check out our quick guide:

👉 www.progressive-eyecare.net/consultation

When the ER Is the Right Choice

If you experience:

Severe trauma
Sudden, total loss of vision
A medical emergency affecting more than your eye

…or cannot reach us promptly, the ER or urgent care is still appropriate. Your safety comes first.

Your Vision Is Too Important to Risk Guessing

If something doesn’t feel right, call Progressive Eye Care at (385) 503-7680 or schedule online 24/7 through our website.

We’re here to protect your sight with fast, expert care — exactly when you need it most.

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