Emergency Care Specialist

What kinds of eye injuries are there?

The most common kinds of eye injuries fall into a few categories:

• Foreign objects in the eye
• Cuts or scratches
• Chemicals in the eye
• Blows to the eye (black eye)

Usually, you’ll have some or all these symptoms with any of the above:

• Loss of vision
• Eye pain
• Inability to move one or both eyes
• One or both eyes bulging out of the socket
• Double vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Discharge or bleeding from the eye
• Redness
• Headaches

Any of these symptoms after an eye injury means you should see a doctor immediately.

Humans are so reliant on their vision that any trauma to the eye can cause you to panic. In the moments after suffering some kind of injury to your eye, it’s important to know a few things before you go to the doctor.

What eye-care first aid should I know?

The first thing to know is what not to do. No matter what, don’t put pressure on the eye, as this can further damage it. Don’t attempt to remove any foreign objects, and keep medicines, ointments, and tools like tweezers away from the eye. Leave that to the professionals at All About Eyes of Sayville.

Foreign objects

If you have something small in your eye, first try to blink rapidly to see if that helps. Wash your hands, and try to open your eye and locate the object — without touching your eye. You might need some help to find it. You can also use eye drops or a gentle stream of water to help dislodge the small object, especially if it is lodged against your eyelid.

If the object in your eye is too large for this, like a piece of glass or metal, then you need medical attention immediately. Do not try to touch or remove the object and don’t put any pressure on it. Try to limit eye movement as much as possible on your way to the hospital. One way to do this is by placing a clean cloth over both eyes.

Chemicals

If you get a dangerous chemical — powder, liquid, or gaseous — in your eye, like a cleaning product or aerosol spray, you will likely experience a painful burning almost immediately. While a quick response time will usually spare you any lasting effects, it’s possible for chemicals to damage your cornea so make sure to:

• Wash any chemicals off your hands before doing anything
• Turn your head so your injured eye is facing down and away from your body
• Hold open your eyelid and flush your eye out with a stream of cool water for up to 15 minutes
• If you are wearing contacts, try to remove them after flushing out the eye
• Go to an emergency room or eye-care center as quickly as possible

Chemical injuries can be dangerous, so always be careful and wear proper eye protection when working with any harsh or abrasive chemicals.

If you have suffered an eye emergency or have any questions, call the office immediately or make an appointment online.