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5 Most Common Eye Injuries and How to Treat Them
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Your eyes are arguably the most vulnerable part of your body, however, most of us don’t treat them that way. We rub them relentlessly, sleep with our contacts on and do many more unspeakable things to them. Being careless about our eye health can result in injuries which are as painful as they are dangerous. While some eye injuries are only superficial and aren’t a cause for concern, others need immediate medical attention. To help you decide how to take care of your eyes, here are five common eye injuries along with ways to treat them.
- Chemical Burns on the Eye
Sometimes, dangerous liquids might spray into your eye accidentally, making you panic. In general, liquids can be grouped under two categories: acid and alkaline. Acidic liquids include lemon and orange juice which can unexpectedly spray into your eye when you’re cutting into them. When this happens, simply rinse your eye out with a saline solution or clean, lukewarm water. While acidic substances can make you panic more because they’re painful and cause a burning sensation, it’s usually alkaline liquids that you need to be more worried about.
Alkaline liquids like aerosols, household cleaners and chalk are highly basic and can cause severe damage to your eye. Rainwater can also be harmful for eyes, so protect your eyes during the monsoon. While they might not be painful, don’t let this fool you into not getting it treated. Alkaline substances can cause severe eye irritation and even blindness. If your eyes come into contact with an alkaline solution, rinse them out with warm water and resist the urge to rub them. You can soothe your eyes by placing a cold compress over them while you rush to the emergency room.
- A Black Eye
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of getting a black eye, then the damage done is more than just superficial. You can get a black eye from being punched in the face or by accidentally hitting yourself with something. Sometimes the bruising is simply due to the capillaries around the surface of the eye being burst, however there could also be internal injuries within your eye that you might not realize at first. To rule out this possibility, visit your doctor immediately for a complete checkup. In the meantime, you can place an ice pack over your eyes to reduce swelling.
- Bleeding in the Eye
Bleeding on the surface of your eyes can look very alarming, however, it is one of those injuries that look worse than they actually are. Due to certain kinds of trauma, the blood vessels on the surface of the eye might rupture. Usually, these kinds of subconjunctival hemorrhages are quite common and clear up on their own. They don’t pose any risk to your vision and are painless. Within a few weeks or so, these injuries clear up on their own, with no lasting damage done.
- Foreign Objects Piercing the Eye
If something sharp like a knife, needle or hook penetrates the eye, you need to rush to the emergency room right away. These kinds of injuries are extremely dangerous and can cause serious irreversible damage to your vision. Apart from the actual trauma, an infection from the foreign object might arise and damage your cornea even further. If you do experience this kind of injury, tape a paper cup to your eye to protect it from any more harm and visit the hospital immediately.
- Scratched Cornea
Scratched corneas are fairly common and occur when something sharp scrapes across the surface of your eye. This could be anything from a particle of sand to your own fingernail. The most important thing to remember when you scratch your cornea is to resist the urge to rub it. Rubbing your eyes can exacerbate the damage and irritate your eyes even more. A scratched cornea can result in a severe bacterial or fungal infection which might pose a serious threat to your vision. Tape a paper cup over your eye and visit the emergency room if you feel your cornea has been scratched.
These tips will help you know exactly what to do if you or your loved ones accidentally experience an eye injury. Your eyes are extremely precious and at Specsmakers, we understand that. To find the best eyewear, glasses and contact lenses, visit your nearest Specsmakers store.