Our eyes are invaluable to our daily function and survival, yet are very prone to injury.

The National Institutes of Health lists eye emergencies as including cuts, scratches, objects or particles in the eye, burns, chemical exposure and blunt injuries to the eye or eyelid. Also included are eye infections, glaucoma or blood clots in the eye may also require medical attention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention due to the sensitivity and vulnerability of the eye, vision loss may result from any of these conditions if left untreated.

The NIH include among eye emergencies such events as cuts, scratches, objects in the eye, burns, chemical exposure and blunt injuries to the eye or eyelid. Certain eye infections and other medical conditions, such as blood clots or glaucoma, may also need prompt medical care. Since the eye is easily damaged, any of these conditions can lead to vision loss if untreated.

Dr. Christopher L. Shelby, cataract and refractive surgeon with Willis-Knighton Health Systems, said, “Eye injuries account for 6 percent of all emergency room visits. Interestingly enough, up to 90 percent of those injuries could have been avoided by simply wearing safety glasses. The prognosis for an eye injury is dictated at the time of the injury.

“If you are witness to an eye injury, the first thing to consider is the nature of the injury. Is it a chemical injury? Is it trauma? If it is trauma, was it blunt force or was it a sharp object? Any eye injury requires immediate attention from an [eye doctor]. There are possibly a few things you can do to minimize permanent damage before seeking medical attention based on the mechanism of injury.

“If the injury is from a chemical, the eye must be rinsed with a copious amount of water; a large quantity of water should be used, not just eye drops. If there is a hose or faucet nearby, stick your face to it and irrigate. The eye is covered by a thin transparent mucus membrane that will reacts immediately to caustic substances. The faster you can remove the chemical the better which is why irrigating with the closest water source for the longest period of time is the best way to treat a chemical injury. After copious irrigation seek medical help.”

Shelby said, “Blunt force and penetrating trauma need to be seen as soon as possible. The only things that can be helpful is to minimize any further physical injury to the eye. Keeping the head elevated also helps to settle any blood that may be in the eye. If an object had physically penetrated the eye and is still in the eye do not pull it out. An example of this is fish hooks and yes that happens more than you’d think. If it penetrates the eye and hasn’t come out, don’t pull it you can and will cause more permanent damage than just leaving it alone.”

The CDC provides the following set of guidelines for performing emergency first aid for eye injuries: 

Specks in the eye 

• Do not rub the eye. 

• Flush the eye with large amounts of water.

• See a doctor if the speck does not wash out or if pain or redness continues.

• Cuts, Punctures and Foreign Objects in the Eye.

• Do not wash out the eye. 

• Do not try to remove a foreign object stuck in the eye.

• Seek immediate medical attention.

Chemical burns 

• Immediately flush the eye with water or any drinkable liquid. Open the eye as wide as possible.

• Continue flushing preferably for at least 10-15 minutes. For caustic or basic solutions, continue flushing while on the way to medical care. If a contact lens is in the eye, begin flushing over the lens immediately. Flushing may dislodge the lens. Do not attempt to remove lens yourself; allow a medical professional to do so.

• Do not allow water runoff to go into unaffected eyes.

• Have victim roll eyeball around as much as possible to ensure complete rinsing of eye.

• Seek immediate medical attention. Do not bandage eye. 

Blows to the eye 

• Apply a cold compress without pressure or tape crushed ice in a plastic bag to the forehead and allow it to rest gently on the injured eye.

• Seek immediate medical attention if pain continues, if vision is reduced or if blood or discoloration appears in the eye.

“Remember you only get two eyes, and there is no warranty. The prognosis of an eye injury is determined at the time of injury. The key to overcoming any eye injury is immediate medical referral,” Shelby said.