What is trauma to the eye?
This situation can occur if the eyes are scratched by rough and sharp objects such as tree branches. Eye trauma is damage to tissues in the eyeball, eyelid, nerve, and orbital cavity due to sharp or blunt objects that hit the eye hard / fast or slow. It is feared that eye injury can damage vision. Children under 3 years old usually need to be examined by an ophthalmologist to find out whether their vision is impaired or not due to eye trauma.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Due to chemical exposure : The most common symptom is intense pain or heat in the eye. The eyes will start to turn red, and the eyelids may swell.
As a result of bleeding : In general, this condition does not cause pain, and vision is also not affected. The eye will have blood red spots on the sclera (the whites of the eyes). This happens when there are small blood vessels that rupture on the surface of the eye. The reddish area may be quite large, and the appearance is sometimes worrying. Spontaneous bleeding can occur even though there is no known trauma. If it is not associated with other signs of trauma, this condition is usually harmless and will generally disappear for 4 to 10 days without treatment.
As a result of corneal blisters : Symptoms include pain, sensations such as something in the eye, tear in the eye, and sensitivity to light.
As a result of iritis : Pain and light sensitivity are common. Often described as a deep and deep pain in the eye and surroundings. Sometimes, a tear is seen in the eye.
As a result of hyphema : Pain and blurred vision are the main symptoms.
As a result of orbital fractures : Symptoms include pain, especially if the eyeball is moving / rotating; double vision which can disappear when closing one eye; and swelling of the eyelids that may worsen after blowing your nose. Swelling around the eyes and bruises often occur. Black eyes are the result of blood accumulating in the eyelids. This situation can take weeks to heal and completely disappear
As a result of conjunctival laceration : Symptoms include pain, redness, and the sensation of something in the eye.
As a result of lacerations in the cornea and sclera : Symptoms include decreased vision and pain.
As a result of foreign bodies in the cornea: Sensation of something in the eyes, blurred vision, and light sensitivity are common symptoms that often occur. Occasionally, foreign bodies can be seen on the cornea. If foreign matter is metal, rust stains may appear.
As a result of foreign bodies in the orbitals : Symptoms such as decreased vision, pain, and double vision, usually can occur within a few hours to several days after the injury occurs. Sometimes, no symptoms appear.
Intraocular foreign body effects : People may experience eye pain and decreased vision, however, initially, if the foreign body is small and enters the eye at high speed, some people may not experience symptoms.
As a result of ultraviolet keratitis : Symptoms include eye pain, light sensitivity, redness, and the feeling of something in the eye. The symptoms do not appear immediately after exposure to ultraviolet, but about 4 hours later.
As a result of solar retinopathy : Decreased vision and the appearance of a single point of vision that looks blurry.
How to handle it
What should I do?
Protect the eyes with a clean cloth, then wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Then press for 10 minutes with sterile gauze to stop the bleeding.
After swelling, sores usually occur in the soft tissue or bone around the eyes. Compress ice for 20 minutes and take aacetaminophen or ibuprofen if necessary to relieve pain. Don't be surprised if your eyes turn black for the next 2 days. Black eyes are harmless and do not require special care. Subconjunctival bleeding (bruising on the whites of the eyes) also should not be a concern. The state of bruising does not usually spread into the eye and usually lasts for 2 weeks, and the process of loss cannot be influenced by the drug.
When should I see a doctor?
Call a doctor immediately if:
- Trauma causes skin tearing and may need stitches
- Wounds occur on the eyelid or eyeball
- The pain in the eyes is very severe
- Eyes keep watering or blinking
- Your child's eyes are closed and they don't want to open them
- Vision blurred or lost in one eye
- Your child has double vision or cannot look up
- Pupil size is not the same
- There is blood or mist behind the cornea
- A hard object hits the eye at high speed (like an object thrown from a lawn mower)
- A sharp object hits the eye
- Your child is less than 3 years old and there are signs of injury (such as black eyes or bleeding in the white part of the eyeball)
- You feel there is a condition that needs to be checked
Prevention
Objects that can penetrate the eyeball often result in loss of vision. Don't buy an air-powered rifle (BB gun) for your child. Don't let your child play near someone who is using a lawn mower.