Effective Treatment for Eye Trauma

Eye Swelling

Eye swelling is often the result of being struck by an object. Usually, swelling and pain may subside naturally. Bruising around the eye (black eye) is expected, and is nothing to be alarmed about. However, it is recommended that you visit your eye doctor to ensure no lasting damage has occurred.

What You Can Do

If you have experienced an injury that results in eye swelling, it is best to:

• Place a cold compress on your eye.
• Wear safety goggles or glasses to prevent further injuries.
• Contact your ophthalmologist to confirm there is no internal damage.

Scratched Eye (Corneal Abrasion)

The cornea is the dome-shaped surface at the front of the eye, and is vulnerable to being irritated or scratched by foreign objects. Injuries to the cornea are very uncomfortable and result in eye redness and sensitivity to light.
Corneal abrasions can be caused by objects as small as sand or dust, and can result from playing sports, walking through the woods, or any daily activity such as rubbing your eye.
If your cornea has been scratched, it can be susceptible to infection. Risk of infection is much higher if the object that damaged your eye is contaminated. Bacteria can easily enter the body through a scratch, and can cause irreversible damage if left untreated. In some cases, serious concerns and even blindness can result from infection. It is essential to act quickly if you have experienced a corneal abrasion.

What You Can Do

If you have a scratched eye, make sure that you:

• Keep the eye closed.
• Loosely tape an eye shield over the damaged eye.
• Do not place a patch tightly over the eye as bacteria thrives in dark, warm places.
• Do not rub your eye.
• Contact your doctor immediately.

Penetrating or Foreign Objects in Eye

If any type of foreign object has penetrated your eye, go to the emergency room immediately. Do not try to remove the object, as you could cause severe and irreversible damage, and even blindness.

What You Can Do

Aside from seeking immediate care, you can:

• Loosely tape a paper cup over your eye to prevent further damage.
• Try to relax and keep calm, ensuring that you do not go into shock.

Caustic Foreign Substance or Chemical Burn in Eye

Chemical burns and caustic foreign substances in the eye often occur because of harmful liquid accidentally being splashed into the eye. Patients can also rub or touch their eye, forgetting their hands are contaminated with chemicals. The danger of any chemical depends on its makeup, or whether it is acidic or basic.

ACID

Typically, acids can cause serious burning and redness that subsides quickly when the substance is washed out. There is usually no perpetual damage caused by acidic substances if the chemical is thoroughly removed as soon as possible.

BASE

Basic (or alkaline) substances are deceivingly harmful. Often, these chemicals do not cause immediate pain or irritation. However, these substances can cause the most harm to the eye because patients do not notice damage until it is more severe.
When eye trauma occurs, it is important to be seen by your ophthalmologist as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor.

What You Can Do

If you have a chemical burn to your eye, you should:

• Immediately put your head under a steady stream of lukewarm water.
• Allow the water to run into your affected eye for about 15 minutes.
• Call your ophthalmologist for advice. Give the doctor as much information as you can regarding what chemicals you came into contact with so that they can properly direct you.
• If your eye is significantly red, blurry, painful, or otherwise injured, immediately go to an urgent care clinic after you have thoroughly rinsed it with clean water.