Eye Injuries
When To See a Doctor
You have answered Yes to:
Have you been hit in the eye?
See significance of being hit in the eye if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Yes Do you think something punctured your eye?
Yes Does your eye not move normally in all directions?
Yes Do you have severe pain?
Yes Do you have double or blurred vision that does not clear with blinking?
Yes Do you think the bones around your eye socket are broken?
Yes Do you have blood in your eye that is:
- Over the colored part (iris) of the eye?
- Increasing after the initial injury?
- Causing swelling and pain?
Note: If you have blood in your eye, do not use any aspirin products for your symptoms because aspirin products may cause more bleeding in your eye.
Yes Can you see blood over the colored part (iris) of the eye when the injured person raises his or her head?
Yes Do you have a change in the size or shape of your pupil?
Yes Have you suddenly developed floaters?
Yes Have you suddenly developed flashes of lights?
Yes Do you have a headache, nausea, or vomiting?
Yes Has your eye moved downward in its socket?
Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Yes Do you have mild to moderate pain in the eyeball that has not improved within 1 to 2 hours?
Yes Do you have blood in the eye that covers more than one-quarter of the white part (sclera) of the eye?
Yes Are your eyes sensitive to light (photophobia)?
You may wait to see if the symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Yes Have you had blood in less than one-quarter of the white of the eye longer than 2 or 3 days, but you do not have pain or a change in your vision?
Yes Have you had mild to moderate pain in the area around the eye (not the eyeball) that is not getting better after 12 hours of home treatment?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: December 6, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology | |
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