In an ideal world, this would be something you would never have to think about, but eye injuries are a thing and more common than anybody would like them to be. It is an eye injury prevention month and this is why we would like to turn your attention towards this topic. What should you do if such an injury occurs for whatever reason?
How severe is the injury?
The action you need to take depends on the type of injury your eye has sustained. Slash, blunt or piercing damage could easily cause you a ton of discomfort, but it is hardly limited to only that. There are several scenarios which you might experience and here is what you need to do:
1. Damage from a pierce or a slash
The most severe eye injuries are usually endured from slashing or piercing. It could be a particle flying into your eye while working at a workshop, a kitchenware incident at your place, broken glass and many other scenarios.
First thing you should do is contact an emergency number or seek advice from your general practitioner. You could alternatively visit an eye specialist on your own too. Try to make an eye shield and proceed with the advice you have received.
You should remind yourself, that whenever an object has caused direct damage to your eye, possibly still being stuck there, the most important thing is to avoid touching your eye. The eyes are very tender and if you accidentally force the object causing you the injury, you could make the damage so much worse. Another reason why you should not touch your eyes are the numerous bacteria which might end up infecting the wound on your eye. Avoid blinking as much as possible, since your lids could also move the object. Generally avoid making contact with the damaged spot.
2. Blunt damage
Anything, from a pebble thrown to a punch, can cause blunt damage to the eye. While it can be as dangerous as stabs, eyes in general tend to fare better against blunt damage.
Consider the severity of the injury. Is your vision intact? Are you having blurry or cloudy vision? Any type of changes to your vision are a reason you should do a checkup at your eye specialist.
Hemorrhages are also a good reason to get your affected eye checked. Most of them go away on their own, but they can hint at an injury below the surface of their eye which is not visible, that may cause issues if left untreated.
Most of the injuries by blunt force, like black eye for example, can be walked off and treated at home, however.
3. Substance splashes and vapours
Substance splashes can also be damaging to your eye. Depending on their temperature and whether their chemicals, you might end up having to take quick measures to prevent major damage.
Cold or hot temperature extremes can be dangerous to your eye, too. While freezing ones can be much harder to attain, as they would most likely fall under blunt damage, boiling water splashes can be very painful to your eye. Most of those will heal on their own, but any vision changes would make a doctor visit much safer for your eyes.
When it comes to chemicals, however, the danger for your vision is much bigger. There are a number of alkali and acids which can deal significant damage to your eye. This may even result in blindness.
If you ever find yourself dealing with a chemical splash, tap water is your best friend. Rinsing your eye for several minutes, with a stream straight from the tap, will water down and remove most of the chemical plaguing your eyes. Seek medical help if the symptoms keep on worsening or if you experience vision changes.
Those are three of the most common eye injury types that you might suffer. If you ever experience any of them, take a deep breath and assess the situation before you take action. Always consider visiting a specialist even if the damage is minor! If you have already experienced one and you need to enhance your vision or to simply protect it, you can check some high-quality vision aid solutions on our website!