Eye injuries can be caused by all kinds of accidents. Since they can have serious consequences, a doctor should be consulted in any case.
What are eye injuries?
Due to the variety of possible eye injuries, a distinction is made between superficial and perforating eye injuries. All areas of the eye, such as the eyelids, tear ducts, conjunctiva, cornea, retina, eyeball and optic nerve, can be affected by the injury. Superficial injuries are mostly bruises, damage to the eyelids, and foreign bodies that have entered the eye. Perforating or intraocular eye injuries are major damage to the retina or conjunctiva and vitreous. They often require surgical intervention.
Causes
The causes of ocular injuries can vary widely. Foreign objects often enter the eye in accidents in traffic, during work, or during leisure time. Bruises and hematomas are most often caused by the blunt impact of stones, balls, logs, champagne corks or a punch. However, a fracture of the skull or nose can also cause bruising of the eye. If the eye injury is caused by contact with acids or bases, it is a chemical burn of the eye. Eye injuries due to cuts or stitches are most often caused by shattered eyeglass lenses or windshields and shattering beverage bottles. Hot water, grease or vapors, high voltage current, gases or red-hot metal cause burn injuries to the eye. In the case of a blinding eye, the eye injury was caused by strong light exposure, such as sunlit snow, high-altitude sun, or a welding flame. Corneal abrasions in the eye can be caused by small twigs, incorrectly inserted contact lenses or even fingernails. However, surgical procedures on the eye can also be causative for eye injuries.
Symptoms, complaints and signs
Often eye injuries occur in combination with more or less severe bleeding, because especially the facial skin is very well supplied with blood, and therefore bleeding occurs even with small and superficial injuries. Here it is necessary to examine more closely whether the bleeding actually originates from the eye or whether only a surrounding region is affected. Eye injuries are usually associated with a restriction or complete loss of [vision|sight]] and require immediate medical treatment. Blunt contusions may cause the eye to go into shock and temporarily stop seeing. This type of injury is usually harmless and regenerates after a few hours without permanent damage. If the eye is really injured, very severe pain occurs, which can hardly be endured by the patient. Eye injuries without painful accompanying symptoms are almost unknown. If the eye is injured, there is usually also an increased production of lacrimal fluid. Swelling, redness and bruising can also occur, as well as hemorrhages directly in the eye, which are easily visible from the outside. If the eye is injured by a pointed object penetrating the eye, often nothing can be seen of it externally.
Course
Depending on the severity and type of injury, the course of eye injuries can vary widely. Superficial eye injuries can often heal on their own or only require outpatient treatment. However, they can also lead to scarring, visual disturbances and corneal opacities and should therefore definitely be examined by a doctor. Eye injuries in the form of bruises can also take a severe course. As a result, clouding of the lens, inflammation, retinal detachment, bleeding in the eye or an increase in the internal pressure of the eye can occur. Due to late effects, regular follow-up must be performed here. Perforating eye injuries can easily lead to severe disease progression. These can even lead to blindness. Common courses are lens opacities, abscesses, inflammations, damage to the optic nerve and corneal deformities.In rarer cases, particularly severe changes may occur, such as strabismus, retinal detachment, glaucoma, forced head posture, vitreous change, double vision, inflammation of the cornea or conjunctiva, or altered intraocular pressure due to eye injury.
Complications
Untreated eye injuries can result in corneal opacities and scarring. Permanent vision problems also cannot be ruled out. Bruising of the eye can lead to bleeding in the eye, inflammation, lens opacities, retinal detachment, and an increase in intraocular pressure. These complications can also occur years later after the actual injury. If an eye injury is caused by strong force, the eyeball wall may tear. Eyes that have already been operated on or pre-damaged eyes are particularly at risk. Intraocular eye injuries can lead to blindness. If the eyeball is affected, lens opacities and corneal distortion may occur. In addition, the internal pressure may decrease. Carried-over germs can cause purulent encapsulations (abscesses) and severe inflammation and damage the optic nerve. Other complications associated with eye injuries can include malposition of the eyelids and eyeballs, double vision, strabismus, and increased or decreased intraocular pressure. The conjunctiva and cornea can become inflamed due to the spread of germs. If muscles and nerves are injured, restrictions of eye movements, eyelid closure and pupil openings may occur. The eye’s near and far vision may also be restricted. Injuries such as eye tremors or eye muscle paralysis can cause head restraints. Vitreous changes may occur and the retina may detach. The optic nerve may be affected by swelling. Glaucoma may develop.
When should you see a doctor?
Eye injuries without pain, vision impairment or bleeding can first be treated at home, provided that any wounds, for example on the eyelid, can also be cleaned well. Such minor injuries, such as those that occur in children during play, should be cleaned and possibly covered with a plaster. Eye injuries of unclear extent, those with pain or with bleeding in or on the eye, on the other hand, always require a prompt ophthalmological examination. An injury to the eyeball is not always recognizable as such by the layperson and does not necessarily cause immediate pain. Nevertheless, injuries may have occurred which, in the worst case, threaten the eyesight. In this respect, in the case of an unclear eye injury, specialist medical clarification is always the safe way to go. Injuries that leave the affected person with no vision in the eye or bleed heavily are a medical emergency. In this case, one should immediately call an ambulance or, if necessary, go to a clinic with an ophthalmology department oneself.
Treatment and therapy
The therapies for an eye injury are as varied as the types of injuries. Superficial foreign bodies are often flushed out of the eye on their own by increased tears. However, they can also be removed by flipping up the eyelid or by the ophthalmologist using a lancet. Splinters can be removed from the eye by the doctor using a type of fine drill. Bruises also heal on their own. However, healing can be aided by cool compresses. If the eye has fine tears or cuts, these can also heal on their own. Rarely is it necessary to suture them. In any case, tears in the conjunctiva must be sutured. If the eye injury is a corneal abrasion, healing can be supported with special eye ointments that have an antibiotic or disinfectant effect. If the eyelid was injured, the tear duct is often damaged as well. In this case, it may be necessary to splint this with a silicone tube for three to six months and to suture the wound on the eyelid. Eye injuries caused by lacerations require immediate irrigation of the eye with saline or tap water. Perforating eye injuries require surgical treatment. These procedures are performed under general anesthesia. Antibiotics should be administered to prevent late effects.
Outlook and prognosis
Eye injuries can be very varied and diverse, making it very difficult to predict an explicit outlook and prognosis in terms of disease progression. Often, eye injuries result from a foreign body lodged in the eye. A foreign body in the eye should be removed from the eye as soon as possible or infection may result. Bacteria and viruses can infect the eye, causing pus to form. The foreign body itself can also cause damage to the connective tissue and cornea, so a medical examination is urgently needed. If treatment by a doctor is omitted at this point, then the prospect of independent healing looks less positive. The infection will increase significantly in such a case and there will be a strong redness in the eye. Permanent consequential damage is possible if the foreign body remains in the eye. If you want to have a positive effect on the prospect of a smooth healing, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. A high degree of cleanliness and hygiene also play a very important role, as this prevents bacteria and viruses from multiplying.
Prevention
Eye injuries can be prevented by wearing suitable protective and qualitative sunglasses and following important accident prevention rules. Also, never look directly into the sun or at sunlit snow to avoid eye injuries.
Aftercare
Eye injuries can occur in many different degrees of severity, so there is not always a need for appropriate follow-up care. If there is only inflammation of the conjunctiva, the affected person can safely forgo further examination. Consequential damage or complications are unlikely to arise in such a case. The situation is different, however, if a serious eye injury is present. If the eye injury occurs due to strong external force, it is of course imperative that a corresponding doctor be consulted. An appropriate treatment or even a surgical intervention cannot be avoided. Especially if the retina or the conjunctiva have been injured, there is an acute danger of losing the eyesight permanently. Regular follow-up examinations should take place throughout the healing process. In this way, possible complications can be detected early and nipped in the bud. In many cases, inflammation also occurs if an open wound was present beforehand. Those who decide to have regular follow-up examinations can expect a much more pleasant course of the disease. The eyes are a very sensitive and important organ at the same time. Thus, an injury to the eyes should not be taken lightly. Immediate visits to the doctor and subsequent check-ups are extremely important to ensure a full and speedy recovery.
Here’s what you can do yourself
It is not necessary to consult a doctor in every case of an eye injury. Minor injuries such as a black eye, swelling caused by foreign bodies or inflammation can be cured independently with some home remedies and measures. In most cases, it is sufficient to remove any foreign bodies (e.g. splinters or insects) from the eye and then disinfect and cool the affected area. For superficial bruises, cooling applications such as cold compresses, ice spray or cold packs are also recommended. In addition, the swelling can be treated with decongestants such as eucalyptus, mint or garlic. Tinctures and ointments made from arnica as well as calendula ointment have also proven effective. Superficial cuts and corneal abrasions usually heal on their own. The recovery can be accelerated by antibiotic disinfecting eye ointments as well as various home remedies (aloe vera, valerian or honey). Accompanying this, the head should be elevated so that the accumulated fluid around the eye area can drain well. The affected eye should be temporarily protected from excessive light, cold and other stimuli. Rest and relaxation also contribute to a quick and complication-free recovery from eye injuries.
