How to Deal with Eye Injuries

Eye Safety Tips

• Sharp Corners - Place some sort of padding on sharp corners and edges of furniture and countertops. Pay special attention to areas where the children play frequently
• Toy Safety
  • Avoid toys with sharp points, and toys that shoot or have parts that fly off. If you can not completely avoid these toys, maintain close supervision when they are being played with.
  • Keep small children away from toys meant for older kids.
  • Do not let your child play with overinflated balloons, or hold any inflated balloon close to the face
• Yard Work - Keep kids out of the yard when you are mowing the grass, or working with any sort of power tools (trimmers, edgers, etc.)
• Cleaning Products - even the most benign cleaning products have some measure of toxicity. It goes without saying that cleaning products and chemicals need to be locked up and out of reach of children
• Utensil Safety - Supervise younger children when they are using sharp objects like silverware, pens, and pencils. Teach them how to carry these items safely
• Sports - most eye injuries in children are sports related. Protective sports goggles may not look cool, but they are very important. You can make them cool if you play your cards right.

Responding to Injuries

If a piece of dirt, dust, or an eyelash lands on the surface of the eye, have your child blink several times to wash away the speck. You can make an attempt to dislodge the particle by irrigating the eye with artificial tears, with an eyedropper and water, or by gently pulling the upper lid over the lower lid. Pressing or rubbing the eye can cause the debris to become embedded or scratch the cornea.

If the skin one the eyelid or around the eye becomes scratched superficially, wash your hands and gently blot the area with a clean, moist cloth so that you can better analyze the injury. A superficial cut will heal on it's own, but if bleeding persists, or if the cut looks too deep, apply a clean bandage and take your child to the doctor or emergency room immediately so that a professional can examine to see whether there is an eyeball injury or potentially muscle damage to the eyelid itself.

A cornea can be scratched by any number of sharp objects, including things such as paper or a fingernail. Your child may have a lingering sensation that something is in his or her eye. Cover the eye with a clean cloth and take your child to the doctor. The doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment, and will likely recommend ibuprofen or acetaminophen to ease irritation and discourage rubbing.

The most dreaded of eye injuries is when a small object or piece of debris penetrates the eyeball and remains embedded - causing severe pain, tears, and extreme sensitivity to light. Do NOT try to remove the object yourselfe. Gently cover they eye with gauze or a clean cloth, if possible. Otherwise, make a protective shield by cutting a paper cup in half and taping the bottom portion over the eye socket. Take your child to the Emergency Room immediately.

If a caustic substance manages to find it's way into your childs eyes, tilt your childs head over the sink and use a cup or pitcher to pour lukewarm water over the eye for 15 to 20 minutes. Gently hold open the eyelid to ensure water gets into the eye. Have another adult call a poison control center or medical facility, preferably with the chemical container nearby so that the chemical makeup of the exact substance can be easily communicated. Take your child to receive emergency medical care immediately following the rinsing (or sooner if advised to do so).

If your childs eye received a direct physical injury - such as a blow from a ball, an elbow, or other blunt object, apply a cold compress or soft ice pack (frozen peas make a nice form fitting cold compress). Alternate the compress with 10 minutes on, ten minutes off. Keep the head elevated to reduce swelling. Be careful not to apply pressure, which can cause further damage. If your child complains of blurry vision, double vision, has a large spot of blood in the white of the eye, any amount of blood in the iris, or a pupil of abnormal size or shape, call your doctor and take your child to see emergency medical care immediately.