Lisbon has had a metropolitan ophthalmology emergency service since 2013, which operates on an alternating basis at night between São José and Santa Maria hospitals. The SNS 24 health line referred the patient to a hospital without this emergency service. The algorithm has since been reviewed.
Young person with eye condition visited three emergency departments before being seen by a specialist
Tuesday, 31 March 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
If you need emergency care and a local ED is understaffed, call 112 for life‑threatening situations or contact the national health triage line (SNS 24) for urgent guidance; the operator can direct you to the nearest hospital with capacity or arrange an ambulance. As an expat, also consider local private hospitals or clinics if available and keep your health insurance details and ID ready to speed up admission.
