What to do in an eye emergency
Eye emergences include cuts, scratches, burns, injuries and chemical exposures to the eye or eyelid, as well as foreign objects stuck or embedded in the eye. As our eyes are so fragile, without proper treatment, damage can lead to vision loss and blindness.
When to contact a medical professional
Eye emergencies cover a range of incidents but you should seek emergency medical care if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Loss of vision or change of vision, including decreased, blurred and double vision
- Scratch or cuts on the eye
- A foreign object has penetrated the eyeball
- Pupils of unequal size
- Eyes not moving properly
- Bulging eyes or eye
- Eye pain
- Redness and irritation
- Light sensitivity
- Bruising around the eye
- Bleeding from the eye or in the white part of eye
- Discharge from the eye
- Itching, stinging or burning in the eye
- Headache or nausea that accompanies eye pain
What not to do
You should not attempt to treat yourself. Do not to any of the following:
- Press or rub your eye rub
- Try to remove foreign objects that are stuck in the eye
- Use tweezers, swabs or any other tools in your eye
- Put medications or ointments on your eyes
- Remove contact lenses unless rapid swelling is occurring or there is a chemical injury
What to do if you get…
An object stuck or embedded in an eye
- Do not attempt to remove or touch the object. Leave it in place.
- Wash your hands and bandage eye with clean cloth. Cover the uninjured eye with gauze, as covering both eyes will prevent eye movement and potential further damage.
- Seek medical attention right away.
Chemicals in the eyes
Chemical burns can come from cleaning products, garden chemicals, or industrial chemicals, as well as from aerosols and fumes.
- Flush with cool water immediately. Turn the person's head so the injured eye is down and to the side. Hold the eyelid to allow running water to flush the eye for 15 minutes.
- If the person is wearing contact lenses and the lenses did not flush out from the running water, have the person try to remove the contacts after the flushing procedure.
- Continue to flush the eye with clean water and seek medical attention immediately.
Related link: Find out what foods you can eat to improve your eyesight