Eye Injuries
Eye injuries can vary in severity. Some loose, foreign objects can be rinsed out however others will need medical attention.
Recognition
- Pain/ discomfort
- Redness in eye/ bloodshot
- Eye watering
- Blurred vision
- Vision effected
Minor eye injury treatment
- Advise the casualty not to rub their eye
- Wash your hands, if possible wear gloves
- Ask the casualty to sit down facing a light and examine the eye
- Stand beside or behind the casualty and gently separate their eyelids with your thumb or fingers. Ask them to look left, right, up and down while examining the eye.
- If you can see a foreign object on the white of the eye, wash it out by pouring cool, clean running water from a glass or jug. If water is not available use saline solution from the first aid kit or clean, bottled water
- Flush from the inner eye direction outwards
- If the irritation continues ensure the casualty seeks further medical attention as the cornea could potentially become scratched and infected
More serious eye injuries
- Keep the casualty still and gently place a sterile dressing over the injured eye, this can be bandaged if necessary
- Ask the casualty to close the unaffected eye to minimise movement to the injured eye, it might be necessary to bandage both eyes to minimise causing more damage, give extra reassurance.
- Arrange for the casualty to go to hospital
- Call 999/112 is necessary
Chemical eye injury
- Act fast to minimise the chance of scarring or worst case, blindness
- Wear gloves
- Flush the eye with large volumes of clean water from a jug or a tap. Ensure the water is running away from the good eye. Casualty should have head tilted with the affected eye facing downwards. Flush for at least 20 minutes. If running water is not available use saline solution or clean bottled water.
- If the eye is closed gently but firmly try to open it to irrigate fully.
- Call 999/112
- If you know what chemical caused the burn and you have the packaging, keep this to hand for emergency services.