There are many different kinds of eye injuries that can take place, with varying degrees of severity. Some may require emergency action and immediate care by an eye care practitioner, while others can be dealt with at home. Follow these guidelines for routine eye injuries, to determine your next step following an accident. Don't forget that general preventive protections such as using protective glasses may be your best approach to preventing eye problems altogether.
One injury that should not be taken lightly is a corneal abrasion (scratched eye). It can cause serious damage very quickly and possibly result in vision loss. Scratches are normally the result of a poke in the eye, or rubbing the eye when there is a particle of dust or sand in it. Since a scratch can open your eye to fungal infection it's crucial that you call your eye care practitioner or an urgent care clinic. The best advice for a corneal abrasion is to keep it loosely covered and to visit your eye care practitioner right away to inspect it. Rubbing the eye will only cause more harm and patching the eye provides the ideal environment for bacteria.
It's particularly important to be aware of what steps to take if you've been sprayed in the eye by a chemical. First, you need to flush your eye out by placing your face beneath a strong stream of barely warm water for about 15 minutes. Then contact your eye care practitioner or an urgent care center to see what they suggest for such injuries. Be certain to inform the doctor precisely which substance entered your eye and what you're doing. If you're experiencing extreme blurriness, go immediately to your optometrist or an urgent care clinic after washing it with water. Exposure to chemicals in the eye can result in a range of injuries, from minor pain to serious harm and even blindness.
While no one ever wants to think about an eye injury, it's recommended to be prepared with how to respond in such circumstances. By following this guide you can be assured that you'll be ready to handle most routine eye injuries. Of course, extra safety measures can help prevent this type of injuries from the get go so consult with your eye care practitioner about preventative eye care options!