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Eye wounds and bruises can be caused by fingers, fingernails or dust, for example, and not cause more than a little redness and discomfort in the eye.
However, blows, burns and contact with chemicals such as cleaning products can also cause more serious injuries, leading to symptoms such as pain, tears and difficulty seeing beyond the redness.
Due to the risk of infection and even loss of vision, following eye injuries it is important to see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible or seek an emergency. In these cases, it may be necessary to use eye drops, antibiotics or even surgery.
1. Corneal scratch (dust or fingernails)
Corneal scratch, also called corneal abrasion, is related to trauma caused by dust, rubbing the eyes very intensely, fingernails, sleeping with contact lenses or foreign bodies such as specks or dirt.
These traumas can cause the sensation of sand in the eye, in addition to pain, redness, tears and even difficulty seeing.
What to do: Washing the eye with running water can help relieve discomfort, and often the scratch heals in about 2 to 3 days without any specific measure is required. However, due to the risk of infection it is recommended to consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible for an evaluation, as antibiotics may be necessary.
Furthermore, when the scratch is related to foreign bodies, avoid rubbing or scratching the eye or trying to remove the foreign body with fingernails, cotton swab or tweezers. In this case, it is also important to consult an ophthalmologist so that the removal can be carried out with appropriate care. See more tips on caring for a corneal scratch.
2. Punctures, cuts and blows to the eyes
Eye injuries caused by sharp or sharp objects such as pencils, tweezers, kitchen utensils and blows can damage the eyeball and cause symptoms such as swelling, bleeding, pain, redness, excess tears and difficulty seeing. Also, if the object is dirty or contaminated by microorganisms, it can cause a serious infection.
What to do: It is important to seek an emergency as soon as possible so that the most appropriate treatment can be initiated, which may involve the use of antibiotics and, in the most severe cases, surgery. In addition, the object causing the injury should not be removed from the eye until evaluation by the ophthalmologist, even if it is visible. Also, it is recommended to avoid coughing or applying pressure to the eye so as not to make the injury worse.
3. Wounds inside the eye
Wounds inside the eye can result from blows or accidents and cause bleeding that can be noticed by the presence of blood inside the eye. Often, in addition to pain and redness in the eye, there may also be difficulty seeing.
What to do: In case of suspected injury to the inside of the eye, it is important to seek an emergency as soon as possible for evaluation and initiation of the most appropriate treatment.
4. Heat burns or sparks from solder
Wounds caused by heat burn or welding sparks can cause symptoms such as light sensitivity, pain, redness and tearing. Also, when caused by welding sparks, symptoms can take up to 12 hours to appear.
What to do: in case of heat burn, it is recommended to wash the eye and eyelids with cold running water and place a damp cloth over the eye regularly until treatment by a doctor. Also, dressings should be avoided as they can worsen corneal wounds and ulcers. In all cases of burns, it is important to seek an emergency as soon as possible for evaluation.
5. Chemical burns
Chemical burns can be caused by using substances such as acids and gases at work, car battery explosions and cleaning products, for example.
These injuries can cause symptoms such as pain, redness, increased sensitivity to light, and difficulty seeing.
What to do: Due to the risk of permanent vision loss, it is important to seek emergency care as soon as possible so that the most appropriate treatment can be initiated. Treatment usually involves washing the affected eyes with saline or running water to neutralize the irritation caused by the substance. In addition, treatment with medications such as antibiotics and lubricating eye drops may be necessary.
Consequences of eye wounds
When not treated properly, eye sores can cause:
- Permanent vision loss;
- Infections;
- Corneal ulcer.
Due to the risks involved, it is important to consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible and, especially in cases of injuries, foreign bodies and burns, seek an emergency so that the most appropriate treatment can be started as soon as possible.
