Black eye – What to do?

Course of the haematoma

A blue eye, colloquially called a violet, is a bruise (haematoma) around the eye. It is caused by an external influence through a blow or fall. It takes about two weeks for the skin around the eye to return to a completely normal colour.

Until then, the injury undergoes a typical sequence of discolorations. The colour of the bruise indicates the extent of the injury and the progress of healing: In the end, a black eye is nothing more than a bruise or bruise (haematoma) on the eye and thus goes through the typical stages that everyone has already observed on their own shin. .

  • At first, the “blue eye” appears red and swollen because vessels have been damaged and blood is leaking into the surrounding tissue. – In the following days the swelling slowly goes down and the skin turns purple-blue, the blood starts to clot. – Then the discoloration changes to brown, green and finally yellow. These colour changes are explained by the composition of blood components still present in the injured tissue and the breakdown of haemoglobin, the pigment of the red blood cells (erythrocytes).

How long is a black eye?

How long it takes for a blue eye to disappear depends on the overall physical condition, the severity of the swelling and other injuries to the eye. In a healthy young person, the blue eye should disappear after about 7 to 14 days after it has undergone the typical discolouration. This process may be delayed in older people, whose wound healing is generally slower. Even if diseases such as diabetes mellitus are present that affect the immune system, healing may be delayed by further days and weeks. Finally, the duration of healing depends crucially on the size of the haematoma and the extent of the swelling around the eye.

Symptoms

In the context of a blue eye, the upper and lower eyelid are often also affected. In most cases, the haematoma spreads periorbital, i.e. in the area around the eye socket. It is called a monocular hematoma if it occurs unilaterally, on both sides it is called ophthalmic hematoma.

Besides a hematoma, the eye can also be swollen. This can lead to discomfort when closing the eyes and even to visual disturbances. Cooling or applying cooling and decongestant ointments such as arnica is the best way to combat the swelling.

A blue eye is usually associated with pain. Irritation of the tissue in the form of a prick or blunt forceful impact leads to pain. However, this should also disappear as the haematoma fades.

Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as Diclofenac or Ibuprofen can help here. Headaches can also occur in connection with a black eye. For safety reasons, however, it is advisable to have this clarified by a doctor. Especially after a fall or a blow to the eye, a cerebral hemorrhage must be ruled out, which can lead to severe headaches. In the case of a sting, it must be ruled out that the possibly existing pathogens do not spread to the meninges or the brain itself and thus cause headaches.