In brief: Eye injuries are treated according to their cause. Rinse chemicals out immediately with clean water for at least 20 minutes. Don’t remove an object lodged in the eye: protect the eye without applying pressure and go to the emergency department. After a blow, apply ice wrapped in cloth without pressing on the eye. Dust usually comes out with tears and water. Severe pain, changes in vision, or blood in the eye require immediate medical attention.
Some serious injuries aren’t immediately visible, so the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) advises having a doctor examine any injury as soon as possible, except for sand or minor scratches. In all cases: wash your hands, don’t rub the eye, and don’t use drops or ointments without a doctor’s advice.
Chemicals in the eye: rinse immediately for at least 20 minutes
Start rinsing where you are, before heading to the doctor.
- Use clean, cool water from a tap, shower, or bottle. Saline solution is also suitable.
- Keep the eye open and let water run gently over it for at least 20 minutes.
- Tilt your head so the injured eye is down and to the side, keeping the water from running into the other eye.
- Remove any contact lenses that didn’t come out during rinsing once you’ve finished rinsing.
- Call 127 and continue rinsing until help arrives. Take the product packaging with you.
Don’t put anything in the eye except water or saline solution. Alkalis (lime in cement and plaster, caustic soda, ammonia) are usually more harmful than acids and can continue causing damage even after the pain eases. That’s why an eye doctor should examine the eye even if you feel better.
Something in my eye: how to remove it without causing damage
Sand, dust, or an eyelash usually isn’t an emergency: tears will usually wash it out.
- Don’t rub your eye. Blink several times.
- Gently pull your upper eyelid over your lower lashes to help dislodge the particle.
- Rinse your eye with clean water or saline solution.
- Don’t use tweezers or cotton swabs on the colored part of the eye.
See an eye doctor if the particle doesn’t come out, the feeling that something is in your eye persists, or you have pain, blurred vision, or light sensitivity: your cornea, the clear front part of the eye, may be scratched.
Metal and glass are different. A fragment propelled at high speed by a hammer, grinding, or power tools can become lodged in or enter the eye, even if the pain is mild. Don’t try to remove it yourself: seek medical attention immediately.
Object lodged in the eye or a punctured eye: don’t remove it
If an object has entered the eye, or the eye has been cut or punctured, any pressure can make the injury worse.
- Don’t remove the object, touch it, or rinse the eye with water.
- Gently place a shield over the eye: the bottom of a paper cup, taped to the bones around the eye, is enough until you reach a doctor. The shield must not touch the eye.
- If possible, gently cover the other eye too, to reduce eye movement.
- Don’t take aspirin or ibuprofen, as they can increase bleeding.
- Call 127 or ask someone to take you to the emergency department. Don’t drive yourself.
At Indian Eye Institute & Laser Center, Dr. Nishant Taneja, an eye surgeon, treats penetrating injuries and foreign bodies inside the eye. The eye trauma surgery page explains how these cases are assessed and treated surgically.
Eye injury and black eye
After a punch, a ball strike or a fall, the skin around the eye swells and bruises. It usually heals on its own within 2–3 weeks.
- Hold ice wrapped in a cloth against the area around the eye for 10–20 minutes several times a day during the first 1–2 days. Don’t put pressure on the eye.
- Don’t apply raw meat, as it can cause an infection.
- Take paracetamol for pain, not aspirin: aspirin can make the bruising worse.
Even a minor blow can damage the inside of the eye, for example by causing retinal detachment. Go to the emergency department immediately if you see blood inside the eye, the pupil is an unusual shape, you have double vision or reduced vision, flashes or shadows, or both eyes become bruised after a blow to the head. Flashes and shadows can also be signs of retinal disease.
A red patch on the white of the eye (blood beneath the surface membrane) is often harmless and disappears within days or weeks, but after an impact the eye should be examined by an ophthalmologist.
Cuts to the eye or eyelid
A cut eyelid is a sign that the injury may be serious, as the cut may have affected the eye too.
- If the eyelid is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a clean, dry cloth, pressing against the bone around the eye, not the eye itself.
- Cover it with clean gauze and place a cold compress on top.
- If you suspect the eye itself is cut, treat it as a punctured eye: use a shield without applying pressure and go to the emergency department.
If the injury changes the shape of the eyelid or affects the tear duct, you may need reconstructive eyelid surgery.
Burns from welding or the sun
Welding light, tanning lamps and sunlight reflected off snow or water can burn the surface of the eye. This is called photokeratitis, and symptoms may develop later: pain, redness, tearing, a gritty feeling and sensitivity to light. Remove contact lenses, stay in a dark room, place a cool, damp cloth over closed eyes and don’t rub them. It usually clears up within a day or two. If it hasn’t improved after 24 hours, see an ophthalmologist. Protection: a welding helmet and sunglasses that block at least 99% of UV rays.
Eye injury: when should you go to the emergency department immediately?
| Signs after an injury | What to do |
|---|---|
| Strong chemical in the eye (cement, lime, bleach) | Rinse continuously and call 127 |
| Embedded object, wound or punctured eye | Shield without pressure and call 127 |
| Something hit the eye at high speed (power tools, lawn mower, fireworks) | Emergency care, even if there’s little pain |
| Reduced, blurred or double vision | Emergency care |
| Severe pain, headache, sensitivity to light, vomiting | Emergency care |
| Blood inside the eye or an irregularly shaped pupil | Emergency care |
| The eye won’t move or open; bleeding or pus | Emergency care |
| The feeling that something is in the eye persists, a minor injury hasn’t improved after 24 hours, or a child has been injured | Urgent visit to an ophthalmologist |
In Albania, call 127 (National Emergency Service) for a medical emergency, or go to the nearest emergency department. Don’t drive yourself.
How to protect your eyes from injuries
According to the AAO, proper protective eyewear reduces the risk of eye injury by about 90%. In its surveys in the US, nearly half of eye injuries happened at home, not at work.
- Work and home improvement: wear safety glasses with side shields when there is dust or flying debris; sealed goggles when handling chemicals; and a proper welding mask when welding.
- Home and garden: don’t mix cleaning products. Before mowing, clear stones and branches from the grass and wear safety glasses.
- Holiday fireworks: leave them to the professionals. Sparklers burn very hot and are not toys for children. After a fireworks injury, don’t wash or press on the eye: go to the emergency department.
- Sports: wear polycarbonate sports goggles for basketball, football, and racket sports. Prescription glasses don’t provide protection and can break.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use eye drops after an eye injury? Not without a doctor’s advice. Over-the-counter drops, especially those for redness, may cause more pain or worsen the injury.
Will an eye scratch heal on its own? Most minor scratches heal within a few days, but a doctor should examine the eye: a corneal scratch can permanently affect your vision.
When should I see a doctor for a black eye? Immediately if your vision changes or there is blood inside the eye. Otherwise, if the bruising hasn’t gone away within 3 weeks.
Sources
- American Academy of Ophthalmology — Recognizing and Treating Eye Injuries
- AAO — First Aid Guide: How to Heal a Scratched Eye
- AAO — What Is a Black Eye?
- AAO — What is a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage?
- AAO — What is Photokeratitis, Including Snow Blindness?
- AAO EyeNet — Treating Acute Chemical Injuries of the Cornea
- AAO — Eye Injury Prevention
- AAO — Safety Glasses: How to Prevent Blinding Eye Injuries
- AAO — Fireworks Eye Safety
- NHS — Eye injuries
- NHS — Black eye
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — Eye emergencies
- Institute of Public Health — National Emergency Service, single emergency number 127
- AAO — Eye Safety at Home
- AAO — Workplace Eye Injuries
- AAO — Sports Eye Safety
Have you injured your eye? In an emergency, call 127 or go to the nearest emergency department. For a check-up after first aid, book an eye examination at Indian Eye Institute & Laser Center in Tirana. Book an appointment · Tel. +355 67 503 0017
