Eye Injuries

Eye Trauma

Eye trauma refers to damage caused by a direct blow to the eye. The trauma may affect not only the eye, but the surrounding area, including adjacent tissue and bone structure.
There are many different forms of trauma, varying in severity from minor injury to medical emergencies.

What Causes Eye Trauma?

When the eye is hit with blunt force, it suddenly compresses and retracts. This can cause blood to collect underneath the hit area, which leads to many of the common symptoms of eye trauma.

Symptoms of Eye Trauma

Symptoms of eye trauma may include:

• Bruising (black eyes)
• Cuts to the eyelid
• Eye redness
• Swelling
• Bleeding between the cornea and iris, known as hyphema
• Retinal detachment
• Blurred or cloudy vision
• Double vision

Treatments for Eye Trauma

In minor cases of trauma, such as a black eye from a sports injury, applying cold to the affected area can help bring swelling down, and allow the affected area to heal faster. However, even in cases where trauma seems minor, every eye injury should be given medical attention.
The best way to avoid eye trauma is to prevent it by using protective eyewear while doing things that may put them at risk. Activities include home repair, yard work, cleaning, cooking, and playing sports. In most cases of injury, people report not properly protecting their eyes – which shows that proper precautions may prevent an eye injury.