Hitting the eye with a hard object such as a tennis ball, rock, or fist can damage the eyes, eyelids, and eye muscles, and even the bones that surround the eye.

If the eye injury is mild, the eyelids may become swollen and a bruise may appear. If the eye is not injured, the bruise goes away after a few days. If the injury is more severe, bleeding inside the eye may occur, as well as traumatic cataract. In some cases, there may be increased intraocular pressure (hypertension) and vision damage.

In this case, an operation is performed – vitrectomy to prevent bleeding of the eye. It is important that the operation is performed as soon as possible, within 24 hours and any waiting results in a worse outcome after the operation. At Sistina Ophthalmology, the operation is performed by a professional team of vitreoretinal surgeons and modern equipment. It is completely painless, is done with local anesthesia and lasts on average about an hour, after which the patient can go home the same day. If this is followed by a traumatic cataract, it is operated on by replacing the natural blurred lens with a new one to give the patient clear vision.

If the blow to the eye is strong enough, it can lead to breaking of the bones that surround the eye. Sometimes, the eye muscles are stuck in a broken bone and need to be released with surgery.

Symptoms:

• Double image;
• Loss of vision;
• Blood on the surface of the eyeball;
• Inability to move the eye;
• Severe and / or prolonged headaches;
• Fainting;
• Bleeding from the ears or nose.

Corneal abrasions can occur due to the ingress of dust, metal particles, wood, sand, nails, animal claws, aggressive rubbing of the eye and the like. Contact lenses can also damage or irritate the cornea.

Symptoms:

• Blurred vision;
• Sensitivity to light;
• Pain;
• Redness;
• Tearing.

For smaller scratches, the treatment is usually prescribed by an ophthalmologist. Deeper injuries, on the other hand, can cause long-term vision problems.

A foreign body in the eye refers to any substance that does not belong to the eye, such as sand, thorns, glass or veneer. If a foreign body gets into the eye, it is more likely that an infection or damage to the cornea will occur, leading to vision damage.

Symptoms:

• Feeling of pressure or discomfort;
• Eye pain;
• Increased tearing;
• Pain when looking at a light source;
• Excessive blinking;
• Redness or bloodshot eyes.

Unexpected spraying of the eyes with impure liquids can also be frightening. Some substances burn or cause pain but are harmless in the long run, while others can cause serious eye injuries and even vision loss.

However, the basic composition of the chemical affects the severity of the injury:

• Acid: Most often, acids can cause significant redness and burning, but they can be easily washed off. It is important to react immediately.
• Alkaline agents: Essential substances or chemicals are much more serious, but they do not cause as much pain in the eye or redness as in the case of acid. Some examples of alkaline substances are kitchen cleaners, toilet cleaners, hairspray, and even chalk dust.

This injury looks worse than it really is. Subconjunctival hemorrhage is actually a ruptured capillary in the eye, which is visible on the whites of the eye. Only one or more capillaries may rupture at a time.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage is very common and can occur even from minor eye injuries. This bleeding is painless and does not cause temporary or permanent vision loss. No treatment is required. Within a few weeks, the blood will clear and the eye will return to normal. However, in any case, it is wise to visit an ophthalmologist to confirm the diagnosis and assure you that everything will be fine.

The most important thing to prevent an eye injury is to wear goggles when working with tools, mowing the lawn or being surrounded by chemicals. If any injury occurs, do not wait and immediately consult an ophthalmologist for further and timely treatment.