Definition of Eye Injuries

An eye injury inflicts varying levels of damage to the delicate structures of the eye, either caused by direct contact with a foreign object or substance, or by a sudden traumatic blow to the head. Obviously, common occurrences, such as an eyelash or water in the eye, do not classify as eye injuries.

Treatment

• The effects of eye injuries range from fleeting redness and irritation to permanent vision loss. It is crucial to understand that an untrained person cannot assess the damage or potential damage of an eye injury, and that all of the following eye injuries require medical examination to accurately evaluate and treat eye damage.

Corneal Abrasion

• A corneal abrasion, or scratched eye, is characterized by a scratch on the eye's clear surface, the cornea. Caused by either rubbing the eye when a foreign body is present (such as sand), or getting poked in the eye, corneal abrasions cause light sensitivity, tearing, redness, and proneness to infection.

Penetrating Foreign Objects

• Penetrating foreign objects are small pieces (typically metal, such as fish hooks) that get caught in the eye's surface. The severity of injury depends on the size and depth of the foreign object. AllAboutVision.com's report on eye injuries strongly warns against trying to remove such objects from the eye without medical attention.

Chemical Burns

• Chemical burns, which also range widely in eye-damage severity, occur when the eye is splashed by some alkali or acid chemical. Stinging, redness, blurriness, and tearing are common immediate effects. Such injuries require immediate flushing with water before seeking urgent treatment.

Hyphemas and Orbital Blowout Fractures

• These are serious injuries that require emergency medical treatment. A hyphema occurs when there is bleeding between the cornea and the iris, and orbital blowout fractures are breaks in the bones that surround the eye. Both are caused by sudden, harsh traumatic blows to the eyes or face, such as getting hit by a flying baseball, or getting kicked hard in the face.

Other Eye Injuries

• Other types of eye injuries include eye bleeding (AllAboutVision.com reports that this is more common and much less severe than it appears), traumatic iritis (inflammation of the colored part of the eye), and eye swelling. According to AllAboutVision.com, eye swelling and eye bleeding are not as urgent as traumatic iritis, which can result in permanent vision damage.