Emergency Eye Appointments: Injuries and Accidents Involving Vision
Accidents will happen, and when they do, GW Eye Associates Inc wants to make sure that you know what to do. In addition to advising patients on the best frames and lenses for their needs as well as their advanced laser vision correction options such as LASIK eye surgery, we provide a number of helpful tips on eye care and vision wellness. Below are a few things to consider when it comes to eye injuries and eye care emergencies.
Types of Eye Injuries
There are many kinds of injuries that can affect your eyes. Some types of eye injuries that people experience include the following:
- Scratched corneas
- Foreign objects in the eye
- Chemicals in the eye
- Swelling around the eye
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage (bleeding in the white of the eye)
- Orbital fracture (damage to bone around the eye)
Common Causes of Eye Injuries
Some common causes of eye injuries include the following:
- Vehicle accidents
- Sports injuries
- Workplace accidents
- Yard work
- Shop work
- Physical assaults/altercations
- Household cleaners/chemicals
- Ultraviolet radiation (UV rays)
Going to the Emergency Room vs. Emergency Eye Care Services
This is one of the most important decisions that need to be made after an eye injury. Sometimes a visit with an eye specialist will be more ideal than going to the emergency room, and ultimately the nature of the injury and accident will play a major role in decision.
As a good general rule, you should seek emergency room assistance if you suffer from other serious or life-threatening injuries in addition to an eye injury.
For example, if you have suffered damage to the orbital bone or have cuts and other fractures in different parts of the body, call 911 or visit the emergency room immediately. They will be better-equipped to address all of your injuries. If you have suffered an injury to the eye alone, then you will likely best be served by visiting an emergency eye care center.
What to Do Following an Eye Injury
If you have an object stuck in your eye, try to blink and let your eye flush out the object naturally with your tears. If the object is not flushed out, contact an emergency eye care center right away to have it professionally dealt with.
If you get a chemical substance in your eye, quickly go to an eyewash station at your work and use that as directed. If an eyewash station is not present, run lukewarm water from a faucet tap and place the affected eye under it. Allow the water to flush the eye for up to 15 minutes to help clear any traces of the chemical from your eye. You should then contact an emergency eye care center so they can determine if any lasting damage was done to your eyes and how best to remedy the issue.
What You Should NOT Do Following an Eye Injury
Never, under any circumstances, should you rub your eyes after an eye injury. You should also not attempt to place ointments or creams in the eye.
If there is an object lodged in your eye, do not try to remove it physically. This is especially the case if your eye was punctured by an object that is still lodged in there.
Ultimately, be sure to let professionals treat your eye emergency. They know how to best preserve your eye health and vision.
Schedule a Consultation at GW Eye Associates Inc
For more information about emergency eye care services and how we can help restore your vision and address these pressing eye health matters, be sure to contact our vision correction and eye care experts today. We at GW Eye Associates Inc are committed to patient wellness.
