Most eye injuries are minor, like getting soap in the eye or a speck of dirt under the eyelid. A foreign body in the eye, such as a speck of dust, grit or an eyelash can be extremely irritating. Have a first aid kit, and in hazardous areas, an eyewash station. First aid part 3 first aid treatment of eye injuries. First aid for eye injuries to ensure that your eyes remain healthy, it is essential to protect them from injury and to take proper care measures if an injury has occurred. There are several kinds of eye injuries, such as a black eye, a foreign object caught in the eye and a chemical splash in the eye. First aid for eye injuries st ohn ambulance australia inc. Use whatever is closest water fountain, shower, garden hose. Learn about the veterinary topic of equine trauma and first aid. Get a printable copy pdf file of the complete article 184k, or click on a page image below to browse page by page. First aid when you have something in your eye accidents happen and when they do, it is important to know how to handle them. Wear eye protection for all hazardous activities and sports at school, home and on the job that could lead to an eye injury.
Blows to the eye may cause detachment of the retina, lacerations of the cornea, penetration injuries, and wounds around the eye. Your first aid kit should include a cold compress for several reasons. Try to get in to see your family physician if thats possible. First aid quick reference eye injuries treatment orbital blowout fractures. Hyphemas when bleeding occurs in the front section of the eye. You will need to offer reassurance to the casualty and to keep them calm whilst they are distressed. First aid for eye injuries wesson and mothershed eye. Corneal laceration when the cornea suffers from a cut or break.
In this podcast, dan clark covers first aid for four types of eye injuries. Feb 25, 2019 the person has something in the eye or under the eyelid that tears and blinking cant remove. Most are found in the conjunctival sac or on the cornea. First aid for eye injuries st john ambulance australia. It is very easy to get tunnel vision, seeing the most obvious injury missing the. The most common type of eye injury that needs immediate action is a chemical burn. This course covers first aid for eye injuries from chemicals, cuts and scratches, and for objects embedded in the eye, and provides general procedures for using safety showers and safety eyewashes. Ensure the casualty avoids eye movement by covering the eye making sure there is no contact with the eyes surface. Conduct ongoing educational programs to establish, maintain and reinforce the need for protective eyewear. Injuries to a horses eyes tend to be traumatic because of the vigorous manner in which horses perform everyday actions. Firstaid for eye injuries in children eye injuries are the most common preventable cause of blindness. Simple bruises are treated with ice and by elevating the head.
First aid for eye injuries first aid blog skillbase. Sometimes, there can be bleeding inside the eye which is called, hyphemablood in the front chamber of the eye or in the cornea. First aid is only the first step for emergency treatment. Since you should never try to remove large foreign objects from someones eye, the last thing you want in an eye first aid kit is a pair of tweezers. The seriousness of an eye injury is easy to underestimate, especially if it affects a part of the eye that doesnt have pain receptors. The eye is a delicate structure that is easily damaged by a small foreign body. First aid eye injuries north east ambulance service. Lay the casualty on their back with their shoulders raised. Listed below is information about first aid treatment in the event of an eye injury.
Eye injuries always an emergency horses eye showing evidence of injury. Reprinted november 2019 for electronic distribution, only by vital first aid training services pty. First aid for an eye injury immediately following an accident can prevent loss of sight. Alkaline materials, such as lye, plaster, cement, and ammonia, can cause severe damage and even blindness. Weve put together a separate page all about first aid for eye. Pain, redness, bleeding, tearing, sensitivity to light, swelling, and discoloration of area around eye. In the case of a blow to the eye, do not assume the injury is minor. If you experience pain, impaired vision, or any possibility of eye damage, call your eye doctor or go the emergency room immediately. The terms and description in this first aid glossary will help you understand common. First aid treatment for eye injuries eye scratches. The eye is easily injured, and any eye injury or resulting infection can cause vision impairment or blindness. Any eye injury can be serious because it can damage the corneathe transparent. Eye injuries can cause loss of vision, or complete loss of an eye.
Do stock a first aid kit with a rigid eye shield and commercial eyewash make sure it is not expired before engaging in activities where an eye injury could occur. Most injuries to the eye are nothing serious, and a routine part of growing up, but some will require medical attention. Others, like those that happen during sports activities or from a fall, can be serious and need medical attention. Keeping them in your eyes may hold the chemical against the cornea, causing unnecessary damage and pain if you. Here are some first aid tips for eye injuries from doctors at the cleveland clinic first aid for chemical exposure. Baseball and basketball are associated with the most eye injuries. Hyphema is when there is bleeding inside the eye blood in the front chamber of the eye or the cornea. As im sure you well know, even an eyelash in your eye can be very painful. Small particles of dust or dirt can be washed out of an eye with a cold water tap. Eye injury first aid only happens if your workplace is prepared. Recognizing and treating eye injuries american academy of. First aid for eye injuries the most common type of eye injury that needs immediate action is a chemical burn. These types of injuries often occur in the workplace, at home, in other accidents, or.
Try to dislodge a small particle by blinking several times. The skull is very protective, so hitting it rarely results in injuries to the skull itself. Combine dressing are special square dressings that are highly absorbent. First aid for eye injuries wesson and mothershed eye center. As july is eye injury prevention month, here are a number of practical first aid tips to remember if you or anyone you know suffers an eye injury. Injuries to the eye can be very distressing for the casualty, so as a first aider, your aim is to prevent the situation from getting any worse. You cant always tell when an eye is injured or that the injury is serious. Knowing how to administer first aid to someone with an illness or injury can be the difference between life and death. First aid is a lesson that will teach you about the appropriate responses to these types of injuries. Do not take aspirin for any pain, because this will increase the risk of bleeding. First aid to the injured 2 many first aid situations take place without a first aid kit readily to hand and it may be the case that a first aider has to improvise materials and equipment.
So an eye injury such as a black eye, a foreign object in the eye, or a cut on the cornea is definitely cause for medical attention. To ensure that your eyes remain healthy, it is essential to protect them from injury and to take proper care measures if an injury has occurred. Alkaline materials lye, plasters, cements, and ammonia, solvents, acids, and detergents can be harmful to the eye. Keep your head elevated, and apply ice to your face to reduce swelling. Keep the casualty still and gently hold a soft sterile dressing over the injured eye.
Full text full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Make eyewash stations accessible, especially where chemicals are used. Accidents happen and when they do, it is important to know how to handle them. The eye can be injured by a chemical, foreign object, or direct blow. But if the force is great, the neck, the back, and soft tissues inside the head can be injured. First aid for head injury should be administered to prevent further damage to the brain. Wilderness medical society practice guidelines for treatment of eye.
Do stock a first aid kit with a rigid eye shield and commercial eyewash make sure it is not expired before engaging in activities where an eye injury could occur do not assume that any eye injury is harmless. Recognizing and treating eye injuries american academy. As a general rule, some help is better than no help, especially in critical situations, so a key first aid skill is the ability to. If you wear contact lenses, remove them immediately. Even a minor eye injury can cause serious, lifelong eye damage. Solvents, acids, and detergents also can be very harmful to the eye. For example, bleeding within the eye, caused by an eye injury, can cause glaucoma later in life. Follow the basic first aid plan to assess the casualty. These types of injuries often occur in the workplace, at home, in other accidents, or while participating in sports. Prompt medical attention for eye problems can save your vision and prevent further complications. Styrofoam cup over the injured eye to protect it until proper care can be obtained. First aid eye injuries north east ambulance service first. If a foreign body scratches or scars the eye surface, the patient may lose some or all vision in the injured eye. The eye should be examined thoroughly by your eye doctor because visionthreatening damage could be hidden.
Properly fitted, appropriate eye protection has been found to reduce the risk of significant eye injury by more than 90%. Get medical help while you are doing this, or after 15 to 20 minutes of continuous. Eye first aid and injury protection sarasota, bradenton. Read about how to give first aid treatment to eye injuries. Many people have scratched their eye at some point, or had their eye scratched by a pet, baby or home improvement project.
Brush up on your skills with information about first aid and injury prevention, and give yourself the peace of mind in knowing that youll know what to do in an emergency situation. The aim of this practical procedure is to understand the first aid treatment of eye injuries. Weve put together a separate page all about first aid for eye scratches. Content can be downloaded in both html and pdf formats. Apply ice or cold packs for 15 minutes 3 or 4 times a day during the first 48 hours to help reduce swelling.
The person has something in the eye or under the eyelid that tears and blinking cant remove. This can be carefully bandaged in place if necessary. Eye injuries can range from the very minor, such as getting soap in ones eye, to the catastrophic, resulting in permanent loss of vision or loss of the eye. Others, like those that happen during sports activities, can be serious and require medical attention. Here weve put together a quick reference guide for dealing with the most common eye injuries. If its not budging, rinse the eye by holding the lid open under a running tap if possible, remove contact lenses first. Open eyelid gently and wash eye with cold flowing water for. Eyelashes and small debris can be washed out of an eye using a saline wash or warm water. While the firstaid tips below represent some immediate steps you can take after an eye injury, it is very important to always seek medical attention from an eye doctor as soon as possible. Specks of debris in the eyes, chemical exposures and burns, flying or falling object impacts and cuts or punctures. The following instructions will help you administer first aid to a patient with an eye injury. Our first aid tips are simple to learn and will help you to be prepared. Chemical burn when the eye damage is caused by exposure to hazardous materials or chemicals.