EYE INJURY

Injury Definition

Vision

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WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Call your doctor now (night or day) if:

Call your doctor within 24 hours (between 9am and 4pm) if:

Call your doctor during weekday office hours if:

Parent care at home if:


HOME CARE ADVICE

  1. Superficial Cuts or Scrapes:
    • Apply direct pressure for 10 minutes with a sterile gauze to stop any bleeding.
    • Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes. (Protect the eye with a clean cloth.)
    • Apply antibiotic ointment to cuts. Cover large scrapes with Band-Aid. Change daily.
  2. Swelling or Bruises with Intact Skin (including a Black Eye):
    • Initially, apply a cold pack or ice bag wrapped in a wet cloth to the area for 20 minutes per hour to reduce the bleeding. Repeat for 4 consecutive hours.
    • A black eye usually takes 1 to 2 days to develop.
    • A flame-shaped bruise of the white of the eyeball is also common. (called a subconjunctival hemorrhage)
    • After 48 hours, apply a warm wash cloth for 10 minutes 3 times per day to help reabsorb the blood.
  3. Pain Medicine: Give acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or ibuprofen as necessary for pain relief.
  4. Expected Course: Both of these injuries are harmless, last about 2 weeks and cannot be helped by any medicine.
  5. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Pain becomes severe
    • Changes in vision
    • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.


REFERENCES

  1. Brophy M, Sinclair S, Hostetler S, et. al. Pediatric eye injury--related hospitalizations in the United States. Pediatrics. 2006;117:e1263-e1271.
  2. Catalano RA. Eye injuries and prevention. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1993;40:827-840.
  3. Hertle RW and Bacal D. Traumatic hyphema: Evaluation and management. Contemp Pediatr. 1997;14(1):51-68.
  4. Hoffman RO. Evaluating and treating eye injuries. Contemp Pediatr. 1997;14 (14):74-98.
  5. Kundra M, Mahajan P. Subconjunctival hemorrhages in a teenage boy. Consult Pediatr. 2006;5(11):725-728.
  6. Rittichier KK, Roback MG, Bassett KE. Are signs and symptoms associated with persistent corneal abrasions in children? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:370-374.
  7. Tingley DH. Eye trauma: Corneal abrasions. Pediatr Rev. 1999;20:320-322.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

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