Common Eye Injuries

Different factors can cause an eye injury. Getting an eye injury is a common occurrence. However, prompt treatment is often crucial to prevent further damage from occurring or becoming permanent. 

Foreign Object Injury

An object can enter your eye and lodge in your cornea or under your eyelid. The accident can make you experience light sensitivity, tearing, pain, and redness. Seek immediate medical attention if a foreign object accidentally lodges in your eye and is invisible.

But if it is visible, you can use a cotton swab to remove it gently. Ensure that the cotton swab is moist. Your eye specialist can prescribe specialized eye drops, antibiotics, or artificial tears to prevent infection and minimize discomfort.

Chemical Burns

Due to eyes being sensitive, they quickly react upon contact with chemical substances. As a result, you get a chemical burn. You can get injured in accidents with industrial chemicals and household cleaning products. You can experience tearing, burning sensation, pain, and eye redness.

It is vital to flush the affected eye with plenty of water immediately after a chemical gets into your eye. Do so for about 20 minutes, then seek immediate medical care for treatment. Your eye doctor may use specialized eye drops or antibiotics to promote healing and prevent infection.

Hyphema

The space between your iris and cornea can collect blood due to an eye injury called hyphema. It often results from other eye injuries, foreign objects, or blunt trauma. You may experience symptoms such as light sensitivity, eye redness, blurred vision, and eye pain.

You will need medication to treat a hyphema and reduce swelling and pain. Your medical care provider will advise you to take bed rest to reduce your chances of further injury. Some patients with severe cases of this eye injury may need to undergo surgery. It is necessary to repair the damaged blood vessels in the eye.

UV Ray Burns

Exposing your eyes to UV radiation from the sun or sources such as tanning beds increases your risk of getting UV radiation burns. The symptoms are often light sensitivity, redness, tearing, and pain.

Your medical care provider can prescribe specialized eye drops and artificial tears to prevent infection and reduce discomfort. The ideal way to protect your eyes from such an injury is to wear UV protection sunglasses outdoors.

Corneal Abrasions

You can get a corneal abrasion when a foreign object like a fingernail or dust scratches your cornea. The injury will cause you to experience symptoms such as blurred vision, light sensitivity, tearing, and pain. It often takes 48 hours for corneal abrasions to heal. Prescribed antibiotics, eye ointments, and drops can prevent infection and reduce eye discomfort.

Blunt Trauma

A blunt object like a branch, ball, or fist can cause this kind of eye injury. It can cause a broken orbital bone or a subconjunctival hemorrhage. You may experience symptoms such as loss of vision, swelling pain, or double vision.

A blunt trauma eye injury can be mild or severe. The ideal treatment will depend on its extent. Over-the-counter pain medication or ice may help for mild cases. But your eye doctor may suggest surgery to repair damaged blood vessels or orbital fractures for severe cases.

For more about common eye injuries, visit Lakhani Vision Care at our office in Marietta, Georgia. Call 770.509.9932 to book an appointment today.