From blunt eye or eyelid injuries to scratches, cuts, and penetrating injuries, learning about eye emergencies can help save your eyesight.

Your vision and eye health are crucial in performing daily tasks and activities. Thus, you should care for and protect them at all times. If they incur sudden injury, you should see your eye doctor immediately.

What Do Eye Doctors Consider an Eye Emergency?

The following are possible eye emergencies:
 

• Eye pain

• Direct blow or trauma to the eye

• Foreign object in the eye

• Eye bleeding

• Bruises around the eye

• Cuts or scratches on the eye or eyelid

• Blood spots inside the eye

• Eye discharge

• Bulging or swollen eyes

• Blurry vision

• Seeing double

• Vision loss

• Severe light sensitivity

• Increased eye floaters or flashes

• Severe stinging, itching, or burning sensation in the eye

• Split or broken contact lenses in the eye

• Different pupil sizes

• Sudden or severe headaches

If you are not sure if your condition constitutes an eye emergency, call your eye doctor and tell them what is going on.

What Should You Not Do with an Eye Injury?

If you have an eye injury or emergency, avoid:
 

• Rubbing your eyes or applying pressure.

• Putting ointments or medication in your injured eye.

• Removing your contact lenses after an eye injury.

• Attempting to remove objects stuck in your eye or around your eyes.

• Using cotton swabs and tools like tweezers near your eyes.

An early eye checkup by your eye doctor and treatment can help improve your condition and prevent irreversible vision loss. The outcome depends on the duration before treatment, type, and severity of the eye injury.

Are You at Risk of an Eye Emergency?

Anyone can get an eye emergency. Children and teenagers are more likely to hurt their eyes during sporting or recreational activities. Likewise, people who participate in contact sports like hockey and football have higher chances of getting eye emergencies. Softball, tennis, baseball, and volleyball players are more likely to get eye injuries from flying or fast-moving balls.

Chemical irritants and lasers put you at risk of an eye emergency if you work with chemicals or at a construction site. Moreover, eye emergencies can happen at home when cooking, cleaning, doing yard work, or starting fireworks.

Actions like sneezing, coughing, vomiting, straining, or lifting weighty objects can increase blood pressure in your veins. That can cause blood capillaries in your eyes to break, resulting in eye bleeding.

Can You Prevent an Eye Emergency?

An eye emergency can occur anywhere, at any time, but most injuries are preventable.

Studies show that wearing suitable eye protection can prevent 90 percent of eye injuries. That is especially vital during sports or leisure activities like swimming or skiing, which can increase your risk of eye injuries. Wear safety eyewear when using power tools, chemicals, or yard work.

Additionally, store chemicals safely away from your children’s reach and be cautious with fireworks. Only adults should set off fireworks. Read the user’s instructions carefully and always use eye protection.

Lastly, never play with sharp, pointy objects or lasers. Do not aim them at any person's eyes or allow your kids to play with them.

For more on eye emergencies, visit Today's Vision at our office in Laguna Niguel, California. Call (949) 518-0055 to book an appointment today.