10 Common Eye Injuries: Common Causes & Signs You Should Go to the ER
Eye injuries can be quite scary if you suffer one since none of us would want to lose sight in one or both eyes due to injury. That risk of permanent damage to the eyes after an injury is what makes eye injuries so scary. The tissues in and around the eye are quite delicate and as such even the smallest thing such as soap getting into our eyes when taking a shower, or an insect getting into one of our eyes, can be quite irritating and painful. This also means that eye injuries are not all created equal as there are those that are minor and there are those that are so serious, they need one to go to the ER as soon as possible to be attended to. Like with any type of injury, there are eye injuries that occur more commonly than others and this article will look to highlight 10 of the most common eye injuries, their common causes as well as signs that you need to go to the ER as far as they are concerned.
Cut or Scratch of Eyelid
These are actually one of the most common type of eye injuries and are usually due to getting hit by a sharp foreign object on the eyelid. While small cuts and scratches are nothing to worry about most of the time, if the cut is deep or it also goes through the edge of the eyelid, then that is a sign that you need to go to the ER as soon as possible to be attended to as the cut may need to be sutured.
Bruise of the Eyelids
A bruise of the eyelids is what is commonly referred to as “black eye” and as per the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com, it is one of the most common eye injuries out there. The most common cause of this is blunt trauma to the eye, either when playing sport, especially contact sport, or a knock during a fight, mostly when getting punched in the eye, among other scenarios. While most cases of black eye can be handled at home with cold compresses and ice packs, if the swelling and discoloration is severe and you are also experiencing problems with your vision after the knock, then that is a sign you should go to the ER.
Corneal Abrasion
This injury basically involves a scratch on the cornea, which is the clear and transparent part of the eye, that is located in front of the iris and pupil. Common causes of corneal abrasions are scratches by tree branches as one walks, foreign objects stuck under the eyelid among others. Corneal abrasions are quite common, and most people who go to the ER with eye injuries do so as a result of this injury. Signs that you need to go to the ER include severe eye pain, extreme tearing as well as having problems with your vision.
Foreign Body in the Eye
The severity of this injury depends on the type of foreign body lodged in the eye. If it is a speck of dirt, it may not be that severe and you may flush the eye and get it out, but if it is a piece of broken glass, you may want to go to the ER and have it removed by the professionals there, like those over at the excellent frontlineer.com, as the foreign object in this case has the potential to cause major damage to the tissues of the eye.
Punctured Eyeball
This is a common eye injury, reported especially by those who like to mow their own lawn. It is a very serious injury and involves the complete tearing of the cornea or sclera by a sharp foreign object, like when tiny rocks and other objects are thrown by the lawnmower and hit your eye at pace. If you suffer such an injury, then you should go to the ER as soon as possible to be attended to.
Acute Hyphema
This is an injury involving bleeding in the space between the cornea and the iris or what is referred to as the anterior chamber of the eye. It is a very serious injury that is as a result of significant force from blunt object on the eye, such as a baseball, bat among other scenarios of blunt trauma. This is a very serious injury and should always lead to a visit to the ER such as the fantastic frontlineer.com
Chemical Exposure and Burns
This is yet another common eye injury and can range from getting your exposed to harmless chemicals such as soap and even tear gas to serious scenarios such as getting exposed to corrosive chemicals such as acids and alkalis. While acids cause serious redness and burning in the eye, they are not normally that damaging and can be washed out pretty easily by water. Alkalis on the other hand are much more serious, even though they may not cause as much immediate pain and redness as acids. Examples of common alkali substances include toilet bowl cleaners, oven cleaners among others. Chemical burns can also be caused by getting sprayed by aerosol sprays. Signs to go to an ER include severe redness as well as extreme blurriness after exposure.
Traumatic Iritis
This is another common eye injury and it involves inflammation of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. Common causes include blunt trauma such as getting hit by a ball or even a poke in the eye. It is a serious injury and one should always seek treatment at the ER for it as per the gurus over at frontlineer.com.
Orbital Blowout Fractures
This is another very serious eye injury and it is in fact an eye emergency if you suffer it. It is a break in the thin bone that forms the floor of the orbit and supports the eye. It is basically a crack or break in the facial bones surrounding the eye. This injury is caused by blunt trauma from significant force such as getting hit by a baseball, a bat among others. It is an emergency and one should always visit an ER for the same.
Retinal Detachment
This is an injury that occurs when one suffers a severe blow to the eye or surrounding eye tissue; severe enough to cause detachment of the retina. Signs that you need to go to the ER is if you suffer a severe blow to the eye and begin to experience pain to the eye as well as floating specks, blurred vision and flashes of light. This is yet another very serious injury and should always lead to a visit to the ER.
The above are 10 of the most common eye injuries and it is our hope this article will help you identify them and get yourself the treatment you require. You can get more information on this and other related topics by heading over to frontlineer.com.
