Emergency Eye Care in Auburn, AL
Eye injuries are often caused by chemicals, foreign objects, or trauma. Sometimes they're simply due to eyelashes or dust, but more serious eye injuries should be taken seriously. Severe injuries should be treated by physicians so that they do not result in damage to the patient's eyesight. Some can even lead to blindness if they are not properly treated.
How Severe is Your Injury?
The feeling that something is in your eye, regardless of the severity of that feeling, is usually the first sign that you may have an eye injury. There are other symptoms that could indicate a serious eye injury:
- Redness or swelling
- Eyes not moving in the same direction
- Blood in the white of the eye
- Decrease or loss of vision
Don't rub your eyes when you have these symptoms. That could cause even more damage.
Causes of Emergency Eye Injuries
Many different causes could lead to eye injuries:
- Small foreign objects - Small foreign objects in your eye usually aren't dangerous and can probably be treated at home. However, if you can't seem to fix the problem on your own, seek the help of an eye care professional.
Home remedy options:- Rinse eye with cool water
- Blink rapidly
- Pull down lower eyelid to find object
- Chemicals - When chemicals get in your eye, you should always seek the help of an eye care professional. However, there are steps that should be taken immediately, even before help is contacted.
Steps to take immediately after eye contact with chemicals:- Rinse eye with water in the sink or shower as soon as possible by turning your head so that the injured eye is lower than the other one
- Flush eye with water for 15 minutes
- If you're wearing contact lenses, remove them after 15 minutes
- Scratches and cuts - If your eyeball gets cut or scratched, you must seek immediate professional help. Don't press on your eye, and immediately go to an emergency room or eye care professional.
- Physical injuries - If you get punched, elbowed, or hit with an object (like a ball), we recommend seeking an evaluation from an eye care professional. Although physical injuries might seem less severe than the ones listed above, they can result in broken blood vessels, detached retina, or even skull fractures. If the eye takes any severe force, it deserves a medical evaluation.