A blow to the eye

A blow to the eye with a hard object can damage the eye, eyelids, and muscles or bones that surround the eye.  As examples, this type of injury could be caused by a blunt object such as a hammer, a ball or other sports equipment, and a fist or foot.

If someone is hit hard enough the bone surrounding the eye could be fractured.

Signs and symptoms

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising – commonly known as a ‘black eye’
• Possible bleeding
• Redness of the eye
• Headache

Treatment

• Gently hold an ice pack wrapped in a cloth on the area around the eye for about 10 to 20 minutes.  Ice should not be put directly on the skin
• The casualty should be advised to repeat regularly during the first one to two days and after the first two days, to gently apply a warm (not hot) heat pack or cloth to the area regularly during the day

The casualty should seek medical assistance if:

• They have a headache that does not go away, or blurry vision
• The area around the eye is warm or leaking pus
• Their temperature is very high, or they feel hot and shivery
• They are taking blood-thinning medicine or have a bleeding disorder such as haemophilia

The casualty should go to the hospital if they:

• Have blood in the eye
• Have an irregularly shaped pupil
• Had a blow to the head and have bruising around both eyes (this could suggest a skull fracture)
• Had a blow to the head and lost consciousness or have vomited
• Have problems with their vision or pain when looking at a bright light
• Cannot move their eye