Common Eye Emergencies

Eye emergencies occur when chemicals or foreign objects enter your eye or the area around you sustains burns or injuries. It is important to seek urgent eye care if you notice any redness, swelling, or pain in the eyes.

So how do you know you have a eye emergency? Pain is the biggest warning sign. With the pain, you can tell you have an inflammation or infection and rush to an emergency eye care near you for evaluation. Caught early, inflammatory conditions or infections can be attended to better, giving you a higher chance of recovery.

This article discusses the eye emergencies that should send you running to the eye clinic.

• Trauma to the Eye

Eye trauma can be a result of injuries or an accident. The most common eye emergencies result from accidents. Accidents involve objects getting into the eye. Also, injuries and burns shouldn’t be overlooked.

Here are signs that your eye has been injured:

• Decreased vision
• Double vision
• Vision loss
• Burning in the eyes
• Unequally-sized pupils
• A bulged eye
• Pain in the eye
• Discharge
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Bleeding in the eye

After any injuries to your eye, wrap a pack of ice in a clean cloth, and gently place it against the affected part. This helps bring down the swelling and pain.

Do not attempt to:

• Wash out your eye
• Try to remove objects stuck in your eye.
• Rub or exert pressure to your eye
• Use any tools in the eye. Use cotton swabs when necessary.
• Put any ointments or medications in the eye.
• Don’t take your contact lenses out.

• Chemical Injuries

Chemical burns result from garden chemicals, industrial chemicals, or cleaning products getting into your eye. Fumes and aerosols may also cause burns in the eye. In case you get any acid in the eye, getting early treatment gives you a better fighting chance even though alkaline products such as sodium peroxide, drain cleaners, and lime can cause permanent damages to the cornea.

These steps will help in situations like these:

• Get rid of any chemicals on your hands by washing with water and soap.
• Turn on your side, so the injured eye is on the lower side.
• Hold open your eyelid then flush using clean water for at least 15 minutes. You can use tap water or do it in the shower.
• Try removing your contact lenses.
• Visit an emergency clinic near you in Mississauga, ON, as soon as possible.

• Tiny Foreign Objects in your Eye

Things could get into your eye and cause loss of vision or eye damage. Dust and sand can cause irritations.

In case small objects get stuck in your eye:

• Blink severally to see if it comes out. Eye rubbing isn’t recommended.
• You can try locating the object after washing your hands. Tell a friend to help.
• Rinse out the object with the help of artificial tear eye drops
• Flush the object out of your eye or eyelids using water
• See your doctor if the object won’t come out or the irritation persists.

• Sizeable Objects in the Eye

Sometimes, metal or glass may enter the eye at a very high speed causing serious damage. If this happens, do not attempt anything. You shouldn’t touch the object, exert pressure, or try removing it. This should be treated as an emergency. As you wait to reach your doctor at Complete Eyecare, reduce your eye movements.

• Cuts & Scratches

In case you get cuts or scratches to your eyelid or eyeball, this is your cue to seek urgent eye care. As you wait for your doctor to examine you, loosely tie a bandage around the affected area.

• Black Eye

Usually, this results from trauma to the eye or the surrounding areas. The black discoloration is an indication of bleeding beneath the skin. It will typically change from black to purple, blue, yellow, and green over a few days. You may experience some swelling, but it will go away shortly. A knock to your eye could damage its internal parts, so a black eye shouldn’t be dismissed.

How to prevent eye injury

Eye injuries occur anywhere. However, some tips can lower your risk of getting them:

• Always put on protective gear during sporting activities or when using power tools.
• Follow the instructions on cleaning supplies and chemicals before when using them.
• Keep sharp instruments out of the reach of children.
• Avoid buying your kid projectile toys
• Ensure your home is childproofed
• Beauteous as you cook using oil and grease
• Your eyes shouldn’t come close to heated hair appliances.