Eye Care Series 1: just sharing what i know best

EYE INJURY

Definition

  • Injuries to the eye, eyelid, and area around the eye.

Vision

  • The main concern is whether the vision is damaged.
  • Older children can tell us if their vision is blurred or out of focus. Test them at home by covering each eye in turn and having them look at a distant object.
  • Children less than 5 years old usually need to be examined to rule out serious injuries affecting vision even if the injury seems minor.


WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR FOR EYE INJURY

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

  • You think your child has a serious injury.
  • Vision is blurred or lost in either eye.
  • Child reports double vision or unable to look upward.
  • Pupils unequal in size or abnormal shape.
  • Bloody or cloudy fluid behind the cornea (clear part).
  • Object hit the eye at high speed (such as from a lawn mower).
  • Sharp object hit the eye (such as metallic chip).
  • Skin is split open or gaping and may need stitches.
  • Any cut on the eyelid or eyeball.
  • Constant tearing or blinking.
  • Child keeps the eye covered or refuses to open it.
  • Severe pain.
  • Age less than 1 year old.

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9am and 4pm) If

  • You think your child needs to be seen.
  • Bruises near the eye (such as a black eye or bleeding into the white of the eyeball) in child less than 5 years old.

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If

  • You have other questions or concerns.

Parent Care at Home If:

  • Mild eye injury and you don't think your child needs to be seen.

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR MILD EYE INJURIES

  1. Superficial Cuts or Scrapes:
    • Apply direct pressure for 10 minutes with a sterile gauze to stop any bleeding.
    • Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes. (Protect the eye with a clean cloth.)
    • Apply antibiotic ointment to cuts. Cover large scrapes with Band-Aid. Change daily.
  2. Swelling or Bruises with Intact Skin (including a Black Eye):
    • Apply an ice pack for 20 minutes per hour to reduce the bleeding. Repeat for 4 consecutive hours.
    • Note: A black eye usually takes 1 to 2 days to develop. A flame-shaped bruise of the white of the eyeball is also common.
    • Apply a warm wash cloth for 10 minutes 3 times per day after 48 hours to help reabsorb the blood.
  3. Pain Medicine: Give acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) or ibuprofen as necessary for pain relief.
  4. Expected Course: Both of these injuries are harmless, last about 2 weeks and cannot be helped by any medicine.
  5. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Pain becomes severe.
    • Changes in vision.
    • Your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.
Blood on Ocular Surface



© American Academy of Ophthalmology






Torn Iris



© American Academy of Ophthalmology






Traumatic Eyelid Laceration

© American Academy of Ophthalmology

Rupture of Cornea with Iris Prolapsing Out

© American Academy of Ophthalmology




Rupture of Cornea with Iris Prolapsing Out



© American Academy of Ophthalmology





Blood Layering out in Front Part of Eye
© American Academy of Ophthalmology (Hyphema)






3 comments:

Vk-mahalkaayo said...

hallo dra. tes,

thank you very much for sharing this first Aid or what to do if these happen to us....

thank you very much for sharing....

my problem bya ko ako mata, pero ako sa i-search sa inglish ang ngan....

Can I ask nya sa imoa, Dra?....pro presently the eye doctor sa Heidelberg, says, its OK, i have an appointment again on Sept......i must examine every 6 mos. as control daw....

thanks again, dra......

Anonymous said...

Eye problems leave me sick lol Of all the things I've seen (uterus, intestines, rectum, bladder, blood all over the OR and DR, etc.) damaged eyes simply tops them all as the grossest things in the world. They do give me nightmares. That's why I don't want to be an eye doctor. It's creepy. But I've seen a lot of these things in PGH's sentro ophthalmohiko (Spelt incorrectly since I am incapable of spelling it right after 3 years), and my heart goes out to the patients... specially the kids who won't be seeing how colorful the world is.

As a glaucoma suspect, I am still being paranoid that my eyes will turn out like this eventually. Although it's unlikely lol

Anonymous said...

Ø Chucked Your Glasses and Got Infection Instead?
Ø Spent a Bomb on Lenses that don’t Fit?
Ø Suffering from eye infections and allergic reactions to lens care solutions?
Ø Did your contact lens give you scratched corneas and red eyes?

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