Some eye injuries begin as minor and can end up becoming severe if not handled properly. It’s important to be able to spot eye injuries quickly so that you can take care of the issue before it gets to that point. It’s also important to know what the most common eye injuries are so you can better avoid them.
Scratched Eyes
Scratched eyes are the most common injuries. They can be caused by being hit in the eye with something sharp, or by rubbing in rough things like sand and dirt. Scratches may cause infection, especially if bacteria riddled stuff like dirt has gotten caught in them.
Scratches to the eye can result in anything ranging from mild irritation to extreme pain. A reddening of the cornea typically identifies them. Abrasions can happen without you even noticing. If this is the case, the scratch is more than likely a small one, and will typically heal on its own, but if you are grossly aware of something having scratched your eyes, wash them out immediately. If pain persists, be sure to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Eye Swelling
Puffy and discolored eyes are a sign of swelling. Swelling usually results from being hit by something blunt. The best way to handle this injury is to use an ice pack. A black eye is a bruise that isn’t anything serious. Either way, it’s best to see a doctor to be sure that damage hasn’t occurred internally.
Eye Hemorrhaging
An eye hemorrhage happens when blood escapes from one or more blood vessels between the white of the eye (also known as the sclera) and its clear covering (the conjunctiva). You can tell a hemorrhage has occurred if the eye is bright red. They’re not are not as bad as they look, however. The injury is actually painless, and the blood vessels should repair themselves over the course of a few weeks. Once this happens, the eye will regain its usual color.
Chemical Burns
If you’re sprayed in the eye by anything other than clean water, there’s bound to be a response. However, most liquids don’t do anything lasting; they just smart for a bit and then go away. Others, however, depending on what they’re made of, can cause things as serious as blindness.
Liquids with acid in them tend to be harmless. You can simply wash them out. They might smart for a bit, but that’s it.
Liquids comprised of alkali, on the other hand, are the things that can take your vision away. Alkali can be found in substances with “cleaner” on their label, along with some other products. Most of time this kind of eye injury happens when you unknowingly rub it in or when the liquid unexpectedly splashes into it. There isn’t any major pain at first when alkali comes in contact with your eye. If you’re aware you’ve got something with alkali in your eye, the best thing to do is run it under some cool water.
If you’ve experienced an eye injury in Centralia contact Innovations in Eyecare today at (360) 736-7385