Eye Injuries and Precautions

What Are Eye Injuries?

Eye injuries refer to any harm or damage caused to the eye by traumatic accidents, exposure to chemicals or foreign objects that affect your vision and eye health.

What Causes Eye Injuries?

• Accidents
• Chemical exposure
• Sharp objects
• Sports-related incidents
• Workplace hazards
• Home cleaning products

Types of Eye Injuries

Blunt Trauma

Blunt trauma to the eye or face often causes bleeding under the skin that leaves a bruise called a "black eye." The tissue around the eye turns black and blue, gradually becoming purple, green, and yellow over several days as the blood is absorbed. The abnormal colour disappears within 2 weeks.

• Swelling of the eyelid and tissue around the eye may also occur. Sometimes, serious damage to the eye itself occurs from the pressure of a swollen eyelid or face.
• Certain types of skull fractures can cause bruising around the eyes, even without direct injury to the eye.
• Common causes of blunt trauma include things like fists, tennis balls, and airbags.
• Blunt trauma can cause a hyphema, in which the blood may block your view of the iris and pupil.

Penetrating Trauma

Penetrating trauma may be caused by things such as knives, ice picks, sticks, nails, and gun shots. Foreign bodies thrown at high speed by machining, grinding, or hammering are other causes of penetrating trauma.

Chemical Injury

Chemical injuries can be caused by work-related accidents or common household products such as cleaning solutions, garden chemicals, solvents, or other types of chemicals. Fumes and aerosols can also cause chemical burns.

• With acid burns, the haze on the cornea caused by the injury often clears, and there is a good chance of recovery.
• Alkaline substances such as lime, lye, drain cleaners, and sodium hydroxide found in refrigeration equipment may cause permanent damage to the cornea.
• It is important to flush out the eye with large amounts of clean water or salt water (saline). This kind of injury needs medical care right away.

Foreign Body and Corneal Injuries

Sometimes dust, sand, and other debris can easily become embedded in the cornea without entering the eyeball. Persistent pain, sensitivity to light, and redness are signs of infection/damage of the cornea.

Symptoms of Eye Injuries

• Eye pain
• Redness
• Blurred vision
• Eye bleeding
• Double vision
• Sensitivity to light

How to Prevent Eye Injuries

• Wear protective gear (goggles/safety glasses)
• Handle chemicals with care
• Avoid rubbing your eyes
• Schedule regular eye exams
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection
• Keep children away from hazardous materials

What to Do If You Get an Eye Injury

1. Flush your eye with water to remove debris.
2. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.
3. Seek medical attention from a doctor or eye specialist ASAP.
4. Do not rub or touch your eye.
5. Do not try to remove any objects stuck in your eye.
6. Do not apply pressure to your eye.