Because the eye is one of your body's most susceptible organs, there is always a risk of having an eye accident. A minor chemical splash or a bit of dirt can soon result in an eye emergency condition. Cuts, scrapes, objects in the eye, chemical exposure, burns, and blunt trauma to the eye or eyelid are all examples of eye crises. There are numerous ways you can unintentionally harm your eye. It is why it's crucial to understand what to anticipate and what you should do if it occurs to you or a loved one.

 

Chemical Exposure

A workplace accident may result in a chemical burn to the eye. It can also happen if household cleaners, outdoor cleaning agents, or industrial cleaning products get into your eyes. You risk getting a chemical burn whenever something splashes in your eye.

 

The corneal haze associated with acid burns usually disappears, and the likelihood of recovery is high. Your cornea, however, can be irreversibly harmed by alkaline compounds like sodium hydroxide, drain cleaners, lye, or lime.

What to Do

It's crucial to thoroughly rinse the eye with either salt water or a lot of clean water.

 

• Sanitize your hands

• Lean your head to the side

• Keep the eyelids open

• Use cool water to flush for 15 minutes

This type of injury requires immediate medical attention.

Foreign Objects

A shard of glass or a grain of sand stuck in your eye can be hazardous if you don't get immediate medical attention. Do not rub your eye if a little object gets into it and is not expelled by blinking. Glass, metal, and things that enter your eye at high speeds can cause severe damage. Leave anything in your eye that gets lodged there.

What to Do

• Sanitize your hands

• If you can find the irritation, look at your eye

• Check the area beneath your lower eyelid

• Take a look behind your top eyelid

• Use eye drops with saline

• Use cool water to flush

If the object is huge, you should get aid immediately because this is a real emergency. As you wait for proper medical care, try not to move your eye too much. Use a clean fabric to cover both eyes if the object is small enough and you are not alone. Your eye movement will decrease as a result until your physician examines you.

Blunt Trauma

Blunt trauma to the face or eye frequently results in bleeding beneath the skin, leaving a bruise known as a black eye. The eye's surrounding tissue darkens and goes blue. As the blood is absorbed over several days, it gradually turns purple, greenish, and yellow. It could seem like the black eye is simply causing the surrounding tissue to deteriorate. 

What to Do

If you sustain blunt force to your eye, it is best to see a physician immediately. It is because blunt trauma may cause severe damage like retinal detachment despite a black resolving in a few weeks.

For more on common eye emergencies and how to respond, contact Westchester Eyes at our office in White Plains, New York. Call (914) 732-1732 to book an appointment today.