- Definition
What is trauma to the eye?
This situation can occur if the eye is scratched by a rough and sharp object such as a tree branch. Eye trauma is damage to the tissue in the eyeball, eyelids, eye nerves, and / or orbital cavity due to a sharp or blunt object hitting the eye hard / fast or slow. It is feared that trauma to the eye can damage vision. Children under 3 years of age usually need to be examined by an ophthalmologist to find out whether their vision has become 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 burning in the eye. The eyes will start to turn red, and the eyelids may become swollen.
As a result of bleeding : In general, this condition is painless, and vision is also unaffected. The eye will have a blood red spot on the sclera (the white part of the eye). This occurs when a small blood vessel bursts on the surface of the eye. The areas that are reddish may be quite large, and the appearance is sometimes worrisome. This spontaneous bleeding can occur even when there is no known trauma. If it is not associated with other signs of trauma, it is usually harmless and generally goes away for 4 to 10 days without treatment.
Due to corneal abrasions : Symptoms include pain, a sensation like something is in the eye, tearing of the eye, and sensitivity to light.
Due to iritis : Pain and light sensitivity are common. Often described as pain that is deep and in the eye and surroundings. Sometimes, you can see a tear in your eye.
Due to hyphema : Pain and blurred vision are the main symptoms.
Due to orbital cracking : Symptoms include pain, especially if the eyeball moves / rotates; double vision, which can disappear when one eye is closed; and swelling of the eyelids that may worsen after blowing your nose. Swelling around the eyes and bruising is common. Black eyes are the result of blood that builds up on the eyelids. This state of affairs can take weeks to heal and is completely gone
Due to laceration of the conjunctiva : Symptoms include pain, redness, and the sensation of having something in the eye.
Due to lacerations of the cornea and sclera : Symptoms include decreased vision and pain.
Due to foreign bodies in the cornea: The sensation of having something in the eye, blurred vision, and light sensitivity are common symptoms that often occur. Sometimes, a foreign body can be seen on the cornea. If the foreign object is metal, rust stains can appear.
Due to foreign bodies in orbitals : Symptoms, such as decreased vision, pain, and double vision, can usually occur within hours to days after the injury. Sometimes, there are no symptoms.
Due to intraocular foreign bodies : People may experience eye pain and decreased vision, however, initially, if the foreign object is small and gets into the eye at high speed, some people may experience no symptoms.
Due to ultraviolet keratitis : Symptoms include eye pain, light sensitivity, redness, and a feeling that something is inside the eye. Symptoms do not appear immediately after exposure to ultraviolet, but about 4 hours later.
Due to solar retinopathy : Decreased vision and the appearance of a blurred point of vision
- How to handle it
What should I do?
Protect your 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 the swelling there is usually injury to the soft tissue or bone around the eye. Apply ice for 20 minutes and take aacetaminophen or ibuprofen if necessary for pain relief. 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 white of the eye) should also not be a cause for concern. The bruise usually does not spread to the eye and usually lasts 2 weeks, and the process of disappearing cannot be affected by medication.
When should I see a doctor?
Call your doctor immediately if:
- Trauma causes the skin to tear and may need stitches
- The sores occur on the eyelids or eyeballs
- The pain in the eye is very severe
- The eyes continue to water or blink
- Your child's eyes are closed and they won't open them
- Blurred or lost vision in one eye
- Your child has double vision or cannot look up
- The pupil size is not the same
- There is blood or fog behind the cornea
- A hard object hitting the eye at high speed (such as an object thrown from a lawn mower)
- A sharp object hit the eye
- Your child is less than 3 years old and has signs of injury (such as black eyes or bleeding in the white of the eyeball)
- You feel there are conditions that need to be checked
- Prevention
Objects that can penetrate the eyeball often result in loss of vision. Do not buy a BB gun for your child. Don't let your child play near someone who is using the lawn mower.
