How to Tell If Your Eye Injury Is Serious

Eye injuries happen suddenly and often without immediately noticeable damage. However, eye injuries can intensify quickly and lead to permanent vision loss or blindness.

Because of the threat of blindness, it is obvious that if you hit your eye, you should schedule the soonest possible appointment with your physician or ophthalmologist.

Look out for the following after an eye injury:

• Trouble seeing
• Irregular pupil dilation or shape
• Blood in the eye
• Tears and cuts in the eyelid
• Slow eyeball movement in one or both eyes Debris that is caught and cannot be removed
• Pain
• Bulging eye

While you wait to see your physician, follow these guidelines for responding to the eye injury:

• Avoid rubbing, touching or applying pressure to the eye
• If an object is lodged in the eye, do not attempt to remove it yourself. Lift the upper eyelid and blink, allowing the particle to come out on its own. If you cannot remove it, get medical help.
• Do not apply medication or ointment until you know exactly what is wrong with the eye
• Schedule to see an ophthalmologist ASAP
• In the case of a chemical burn, flush the eye with clean water and head to the emergency room.
• Apply a cold compress to the eye after a blow or hit. Do not apply any pressure, the compress is to reduce swelling and pain. Regardless of the intensity of the blow, seek your physician or ophthalmologist’s opinion.
• For irritating debris, you can use eyewash to attempt to clean the eye. If unsuccessful, bandage the eye and head to the emergency room.

Eye injuries can lead to serious repercussions, including permanent vision loss and blindness, so it is important to tend to them as soon as seriously as possible. For in-person information, visit our Laser Eye Surgery Center in Atlanta, GA.