The eyes are responsible for providing us with vision and uniquely positioned in the head so that they are protected from injuries. On the other hand, when something is wrong with your eyes, you have to take it seriously. Immediate emergency care must be provided right away.
Common eye injuries
Chemical burn
When an eye is accidentally splashed with chemicals, you have to quickly flush the eye with cool water. This will help dilutes the chemical in the eye, thus reducing the risk for serious eye damage.
Fill a dishpan with water and submerge the face of the individual. Instruct him/her to open and close your eyelids to allow the water to cleanse all parts of your eye. You can also flush the chemicals in your eyes under running water. Instruct the individual to move his/her eye in all directions during flushing so that all areas of the eye are rinsed.
Scratched eye
This can be caused by getting punched or rubbing the eye with the presence of foreign objects such as dust or sand. It results to redness and sensitivity to light.
Scratches on the eye can make the eye susceptible to infection from bacteria or fungus. There are certain types of bacteria and fungi that can enter the eye through a scratch and can cause serious problems. If an individual has a scratched eye, instruct him/her not to rub and do not put a patch. Bacteria like to live in dark and warm places and using a patch provides the ideal environment. A paper cup or an eye shield can be used to prevent infection from developing.
Foreign object in the eye
If something enters the eye, do not rub your eyes since this can cause irritation. You can try to remove the particle in the eye if it is not embedded. You have to wash your hands first with soap and water to prevent contamination and infection.
Flush the eye with water and use your finger and thumb to pull the upper eyelid down over the top of the lower eyelid. This will cause tearing but can allow you to flush out the object in the eye. You have to repeat this several times.
Swelling of the eye
This condition can be due to the building up of fluids in the areas surrounding the eye. An inflamed eyelid is an indication of an infection and sometimes accompanied by discharge in the corner of the eye due to a bacterial or viral infection.
The individual can also have conjunctivitis in which the membrane lining the eyelid starts to swell and becomes itchy and red in color. You have to instruct the individual to avoid touching the affected eye. A home remedy that you can perform is to place a cool cloth over the affected eye two times in a day to minimize the swelling.