Eye Emergencies

Eye emergencies and urgencies include a wide range of incidents and conditions such as trauma, cuts, scratches, foreign objects in the eye, burns, chemical exposure, and blunt injuries to the eye or eyelid, just to name a few. Since the eye is easily damaged, untreated injuries can lead to further complications like infection, inflammation, and partial or complete vision loss. In addition, certain eye infections and medical conditions like blood clots, angle closure glaucoma, painful red eyes, or sudden vision loss - unrelated to injury - may require emergency medical attention.

Signs of an Eye Injury

Depending on the injury, some signs may include

• Bleeding or other discharge from or around the eye

• Bruising

• Decreased vision or double vision

• Loss of vision, total or partial, in one eye or both

• Unequal pupil size

• Eye pain

• New or severe headaches

• Redness or bloodshot appearance

• A sensation of something in the eye

• Sensitivity to light

• One eye is not moving like the other

• One eye is sticking out or bulging

• Nausea or headache occurring with eye pain

Types of Injuries

Blunt Force Trauma to the eye or face will usually cause a black eye, or bruising around the eye. Swelling and discoloration occur, but usually resolve on its own after a few weeks. In some cases, a blow to the eye can damage the internal structures, leading to conditions such as a hyphema (blood in the front chamber of the eye), traumatic iritis, retinal hemorrhages and more.

Chemical Exposure from household chemicals, industrial substances, or fumes can cause burns to the eye. Immediate flushing with clean water or saline is crucial, especially for alkaline chemicals such as lime, lye, drain cleaners, and sodium hydroxide in refrigeration equipment, which can penetrate deeper into the eye. Flushing should be conducted at home or work for at least 30 minutes before travelling to your eye doctor's office.

How to Prevent Eye Injuries

Eye injuries can happen unexpectedly, even during routine activities. To minimize the risk, make sure you are wearing protective eyewear when necessary (especially when using NERF guns!), follow instructions carefully when handling chemicals, keep sharp objects like scissors and knives away from children, and practice safety and awareness when using fireworks.

To decrease the chances of developing permanent eye damage, immediate medical evaluation is necessary in the event of an eye injury. If you have experienced an eye emergency or have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our office, and See The Difference with Sight To See Eyecare & Eyewear.