Eye Injuries

What to do if you get an eye injury.

Eye Injuries

There are three types of eye injury - blows, burns, and foreign objects in the eye. With each injury the treatment may vary, depending on the severity and type of injury.  Eye injuries might require immediate treatment to prevent permanent eye damage resulting in vision loss.

Blows to the eye that are direct can hurt the skin and tissues around the eyeball, the eye, or even the bones of the eye socket. If hit in the eye use cold compresses. This will help the body reabsorb the leakage of the blood and may help reduce the bruising. Call your doctor immediately if any of the following symptoms are noted �" increased redness, drainage from the eye, persistent eye pain, any changes in vision, any visible abnormality of the eyeball, visible bleeding on the white part.

Burns to the eye may be caused by chemicals, fumes, hot air or steam, sunlight, tanning lamps, electric hair curlers or dryers, or welding equipment.  Bursts of flames, or flash fires, from stoves or explosives can also burn the face and eyes. Your eyes can be burned in other ways too, like rubbing your eyes and giving it a chemical off your hand. If someone gets a chemical in the eye and you know what it was, call the product’s emergency number. The most common recommended treatment is to flush the eye with lukewarm water for 15 to 30 minutes and call for emergency help.

Objects such as dirt, an eyelash, a contact lens, or make-up, could scratch the eye’s surface or become stuck on the eye. Small or sharp objects traveling at high speeds may strike the eye and possibly puncture the eyeball. Foreign objects in the eye can cause eye bleeding. A subconjunctival hemorrhage (bleeding) is painless and it doesn’t cause permanent or temporary vision loss. Over several weeks the blood will clear up and the eye will go back to its before look. A foreign object in the eye could scratch the cornea. It’s very important to see an eye doctor or an emergency room to get treatment for an injury if you know something has scratched the eye. Scratches can make an eye susceptible to infection from fungus or bacteria and can do harm, including blindness, in as little as 24 hours. If given a scratched eye, do not rub it. When the eye is scratched don’t patch it; fungus and bacteria like warm, dark places to grow. If patched, it might provide the ideal environment. Simply keep the eye closed or loosely tape a paper cup over the eye. See the doctor as soon as possible.

 As stated above, there are three types of eye injuries - blows, burns, and foreign objects in the eye. The treatment for each eye injury is different so know how to treat the injury and know when to call for medical help. Humans are only given one set of eyes so treat them well.