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3 Common Eye Injuries And What You Should Know About Them

Did you know that your eyes are considered one of the most fragile parts of your body? Because many injuries to the eye can result in long-term damage, it is important that you take measures to keep your eyes out of harm's way as much as possible. Eye doctors strive to help you keep your vision clear and your eyes healthy by properly diagnosing and treating issues when you have sustained an eye injury. Read on to learn about a few different eye injuries, what you can do when you've sustained them, and how to avoid them in the future.

Foreign Objects

If your eye is ever pierced by a foreign object or material such as a piece of metal, it is crucial that you schedule an appointment with your eye doctor immediately. In addition, until you can get to the eye clinic, you need to tape some form of an eye shield, such as a paper cup or piece of gauze, over your eye. To prevent injury from foreign objects in the future, make sure that you are wearing protective eye goggles when working with any kind of sharp objects or materials.

Corneal Abrasion

A corneal abrasion, or a scratch to the surface of your eye, can occur from a foreign material, a fingernail, or any other material such as sand or debris. In the event that you suffer a corneal abrasion, the worst thing you can do is rubbing your eye. You do want to keep your eye closed, though, and schedule an appointment with your eye care provider as soon as possible. In the future, wear protective eye goggles or sunglasses.

Chemical Burns

In the event that you get some kind of acid within your eye, you will likely feel immediate pain. You will want to use water to begin immediately flushing the acid substance out of your eye. Do this for 20 minutes or longer. If you get a cleaning agent or another alkaline substance in your eye, the pain may not be immediate, though the situation could be more serious. Therefore, spend 20 minutes or longer flushing it out with water. For either of these issues, visit your eye doctor immediately. In the future, wear protective eye goggles when dealing with these hazardous substances and make sure to wash your hands after dealing with either of them.

If you would like to learn more about treating any of the aforementioned eye injuries or to schedule an eye exam, contact an ophthalmologist in your local area today.


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