-Getting Hit

Any number of objects striking the eye can cause an injury, whether it’s a fist, rock, or baseball. When you receive a blow to the eye, it can damage the eye itself, your eyelids, and even the muscles and bones that are around the eye. Depending on the severity of the injury, you might have something as minor as a black eye or some swelling, but it could be bad enough to cause bleeding within the eye. With the most severe impact injuries, it may break your orbital bone (aka your eye socket). If that happens, it can cause serious vision issues and potentially permanent damage. What you do depends largely on how severe the injury is. If it is minor, it should heal on its own, and applying ice can help to reduce the swelling. If it is more serious, see a doctor. Surgery may be necessary to prevent further damage.

-Cut or Scratch

While a cut or scratch to our skin isn’t typically a serious situation, if it happens to your eye it should not be taken lightly. If your cornea is scratched by a stick, your finger, or some other object, it could cause permanent damage to your vision. Some of the symptoms you might experience after scratching your eye include blurry vision, abnormal sensitivity to light, pain, red appearance, and an excess of tears. While small scratches will typically heal on their own, deeper cuts can cause serious vision problems and should be examined by a professional quickly.

-Something Stuck

There’s a reason why safety glasses are required when working with power tools. If sand, wood chips, metal shavings, or glass enters your eye, it can get stuck and cause permanent vision damage. Not only that, it will be incredibly uncomfortable. When something is stuck in your eye, you will produce extra tears, which is your body’s attempt at washing out the intruding item. If you feel like you have something stuck in your eye, visit a doctor immediately to prevent potentially serious damage.

-Chemicals

Pretty much everyone has ended up with shampoo or makeup in their eyes. Luckily, flushing out your eyes should clear it up and get you past that discomfort. However, there are many chemicals found in cleaning solutions, fertilizers, and pool cleaners. If you get these in your eyes, it’s vital you flush it out as quickly as possible, as it can quickly damage your vision. Flush it out with cold water for at least 15 minutes, then head to the doctor.

-Radiation

UV (Ultraviolet) rays from the sun can cause permanent vision damage. This makes sunglasses more than just a fashion statement, as they protect your eyes from that radiation. Minimize the exposure to direct sunlight you put your eyes under, or you could be dealing with cataracts or macular degeneration.

While many eye injuries can heal quickly and easily, some more serious ones should be examined by a doctor as quickly as possible. If you have any questions about your eye health, call Visions Optique in Scottsdale today.