Accidents resulting in serious eye injuries can happen to anyone, but are particularly common in children and young adults. More than 90% of all eye injuries can be prevented with appropriate supervision and protective eyewear.
Goggles and face protection can prevent injuries in sports like baseball, basketball, racket sports, and hockey. It is more difficult to protect against injuries in boxing, though thumbless gloves help.
People who must rely on only one good eye should wear polycarbonate safety glasses all the time and should wear safety goggles for sports and other dangerous activities. Choose frames and lenses that meet the American National Standards Institute standard for safety (Z87.1).
Appropriate adult supervision is key in preventing all eye injuries. Children should never be allowed to play with fireworks or BB guns. Sharp and fast-moving objects, such as darts, arrows, scissors, knives, and even pencils or pens can be dangerous. Special care should be taken when working around lawn mowers, which can throw rocks and debris, and when banging two pieces of metal together, which can dislodge small shards of metal. Chemicals such as toilet cleaners and drain openers are especially hazardous.
A primary care physician or an emergency room can treat minor injuries, such as a foreign body or an abrasion (scratch) on the cornea. Any foreign material must be removed from the eye. An antibiotic drop or ointment may be applied, perhaps with an eye patch for comfort.
More serious injuries, like blood inside the eye (hyphema), a laceration (cut), or rupture of the eye, require examination by an ophthalmologist. Both surgery and hospitalization may be necessary.
Chemicals that burn should be rinsed from the eye immediately. The ultimate outcome depends on the severity of the injury, which cannot always be identified in the initial examination.
First Aid for Eye Injuries
The most common type of eye injury that needs immediate action is a chemical burn. Alkaline materials (lye, plasters, cements, and ammonia), solvents, acids, and detergents can be harmful to the eye. Eyes should be flushed liberally with water if exposed to any of these agents.
If sterile solutions are readily available, use them to flush the affected eye. If not, go to the nearest sink, shower or hose and begin washing the eye with large amounts of water. If the eye has come in contact with an alkaline agent, it is important to flush the eye for ten minutes or more. Make sure water is getting under the upper and lower eyelids.
Abrasions or scratches of the eyelids or cornea, the clear covering of the eye, occur frequently and can be quite uncomfortable. If the abrasion is dirty, gently cleanse the area with a stream of clean water.
Do not attempt to treat severe blunt trauma or penetrating injuries to the eye. Tape a paper or Styrofoam cup over the injured eye to protect it until proper care can be obtained.
In the case of a blow to the eye, do not assume the injury is minor. The eye should be examined thoroughly by an ophthalmologist because vision-threatening damage could be hidden.
First aid is only the first step for emergency treatment. If you experience pain, impaired vision, or any possibility of eye damage, call your ophthalmologist or go the emergency room immediately.
Preventing Eye Injuries
Any activity where something is flying at the eye puts the eye at risk for an injury. Over one million people suffer eye injuries each year in the United States. Almost 50% of these accidents occur at home and over 90% of them could have been prevented.
Minor injuries to the cornea-the clear, protective covering over the front of the eye-can be quite painful. A corneal abrasion is a scratch. Appropriate treatment may include an antibiotic drop or ointment and an eye patch for comfort. Sand or other particles can stick to the cornea. Such foreign bodies may be removed with a moistened Q-tip, usually by a doctor. Do not rub the eye.
Regular prescription glasses or contact do not protect eyes from injury. Some glasses and some types of contact lenses shatter if the eye is hit. People who play sports and wear prescription glasses can have special glasses or prescription goggles made.
Unfortunately, many people do not think they are at risk for an eye injury until the injury occurs. The majority of eye injuries are easily prevented. Follow safety precautions and use common sense to reduce the risk.
* Wear safety goggles when using powerful chemicals. Goggles should fit properly to prevent chemicals from getting under them, but still allow air to circulate between the eye and the lens.
* Polycarbonate sports goggles are recommended for all participants of high-impact sports or activities where there is a high risk of eye injury.
* Never use fireworks. Attend public firework displays instead of using fireworks at home. Amateur backyard displays are dangerous to the person lighting the fireworks, near by family members, friends, and neighbors.
* Supervise children when they are handling potentially dangerous items, such as pencils, scissors and penknives. Be aware that even common household items such as paper clips, elastic cords, wire coat hangers, rubber bands and fishhooks can cause serious eye injury.
* Avoid projectile toys such as darts and bows and arrows. Do not allow children to play with air-powered rifles, pellet guns and BB guns. They are extremely dangerous and have been reclassified as firearms and removed from toy departments.
* Wear eye protection while mowing the lawn or using a weed eater. Stones and debris thrown from moving blades can cause severe eye injuries.
* Always check to make sure any spray nozzle faces away from the face.
* Use grease shields to cover frying pans and protect eyes from splattering liquids.
* Wear opaque eyeglasses or goggles to shield eyes and block UV light in tanning booths.
* Read instructions before using tools, chemicals, ammonia, etc.
* Be sure you read the instructions while jump starting a car. Attach the negative ground of the dead battery last. This cable should be attached to the engine away from the dead battery terminal. Never attach a cable to the negative terminal of the dead battery.
* Never use a match or lighter to look under the hood of a car.
When an eye injury does occur, have an ophthalmologist (eye physician and surgeon), or other medical doctor examine the eye as soon as possible. Although the injury may not look or feel serious, it could cause serious damage to your eyes. If you have blurred vision, partial loss of vision, double vision, or sharp pains in your eye after an accident, see an ophthalmologist or go to a hospital emergency room right away.
Eye Care | Eye Safety
