Examining the Common Types of Eye Injuries and Trauma

Burns & Exposure to Chemicals:

The sensitive eye is such that it can be harmed through even minor incidents such as a splash of a chemical or any harmful liquid into the eye which causes a chemical burn.

Harmful substances such as acids and alkalis result in permanent damage due to the damage caused to the ocular surface.

Even liquids or chemicals like soap, sunscreen, which we use in our daily lives, can harm the eye but in most cases do not cause permanent damage. Let’s examine chemicals that can be injurious to vision health:

Strong Acids including sulfuric acid mostly used in the production of fertilizers or in car batteries, as well as alkaline acid commonly found in batteries, drain cleaners, etc.

Aerosol Sprays can be the cause of potential chemical injury which includes substances such as tear gas, deodorants, and even hairsprays.

Red Patches (bleeding):

This may appear spontaneously and occurs when the blood collects on the sclera, the white surface area found in the eye. The sclera is covered by a transparent blood vessel that contains a membrane called the conjunctiva. The degree of subconjunctival hemorrhage does not depict the severity of the injury.

Corneal Abrasions:

This is the result of a scratch from a sharp object or a traumatic defect in the surface of the cornea which is located in front of the pupil and iris.

Orbital Fractures:

Are injuries that damage not only the eye but affect the surrounding structure of the eye as a result of a blow to the eye such as getting hit in the face with a football.

Foreign Bodies:

Refer to those objects that are small in size but sharp such as pieces of metal, wood, or plastic. Also present in the form of iron-containing metal foreign bodies in the cornea, and though are embedded yet have not penetrated the eye itself. These foreign bodies can cause a rusty stain in the cornea, which requires treatment.

Intraocular foreign bodies are known as injuries that affect the outer wall of the eye when an object penetrates within the eye.

Corneal Flash Burn:

This sort of damage is commonly due to a light-induced trauma to the eye, which can also be explained as a sunburn of the cornea. The most common causes for flash burns are ultraviolet (UV) lights and are also associated with cataract formation and retinal degeneration that can severely damage the eye. Anyone who is exposed to high altitudes of UV rays, such as workers who frequently use welding arcs, are prone to such trauma.

Solar retinopathy is also similarly light induced and can affect a person looking at the sun for a long period of time or special cases such as viewing solar eclipses can cause this which can damage the central part of the retina.