The eyes are the most important organ through which we receive most of the information about the world. Of course, we try to show our children the world in all its diversity. Unfortunately, in addition to pleasant moments, staying in a country house, in a village, or even just on the street can also bring troubles. Foreign bodies can get into a child's eye: small flies, dust, plant particles.
What should you do if your child gets something in his eye? What will the doctor do at the appointment? How to alleviate a child’s condition before visiting a doctor?
If your child gets something in his eye
The best thing you can do is to encourage your child to try to “push” the foreign body out by rotating the eyeball while the eyelid is closed. If the discomfort does not go away, you can drop a few drops of saline solution into the eye - they will help to further moisturize it and remove the uninvited guest from the mucous membrane. If these measures do not lead to anything, it is possible that a foreign body has penetrated into the tissue of the conjunctiva or cornea.
Upon closer inspection, you may even be able to see the affected area and a particle that has stuck into the conjunctiva. Do not try to remove it yourself - you will not be able to ensure sterility, and unskilled actions may result in you further injuring the child’s eye. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Why might an eye leak?
As a result of mechanical stress, the integrity of the organ often suffers. Due to damage, eye leakage is possible. The mechanism for the development of such a pathological phenomenon is caused by a violation of the integrity of the membranes of the eyeball or an increase in intraocular pressure due to injury. As a result, the iris and lens shift posteriorly and rupture. In this case, the shock wave travels to the posterior pole of the organ of vision and then returns forward, which causes damage to the ocular structures. The eye can drain for several reasons. The main factors in the development of this pathological condition are:
- blow to the temporal lobe;
- kick in the nose;
- penetration of branches into the visual organ;
- eye injury from wire;
- ingress of chips when sawing;
- chemical burns;
- damage from animal claws;
- work injuries;
- damage during sports training;
- injury due to compression;
- abscesses;
- inflammatory processes.
Childhood injuries can cause complications even in adulthood and significantly worsen the condition and impair vision.
In case of injury, pain can have varying degrees.
Sometimes pain when the integrity of an organ is damaged may be less noticeable. If there are cutting injuries or gouging out of the eyes, external deformations and damage to the organ are clearly visible. Most often, eye leakage is accompanied by:
- unbearable sharp pain;
- deterioration of visual function;
- swelling;
- discomfort in bright light;
- difficult to open the eye;
- bruise.
Treatment
Superficial injury occurs due to the introduction of a foreign object into the mucous membrane - soil, metal particles or stone. Superficial damage may result in insect entry. Acute pain, tearing and photophobia occurs, irritation and hyperemia of the mucous membrane occurs. With this type of injury, the foreign body is removed and a bandage with an antiseptic is applied.
Penetrating eye injury occurs due to disruption of the integrity of the eye by cutting or piercing objects, as a result of which the eyeball suffers. Characteristic symptoms are severe pain, decreased or loss of vision. In this case, hospitalization is prescribed.
Blunt trauma occurs when the eye is exposed to a blunt object: a hand, a stick, etc. This type of injury occurs without visible damage to the eye and failure to promptly seek qualified help can lead to deterioration of vision. It is accompanied by painful sensations and “bloating” of the eye.
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An eye burn occurs when the mucous membrane is exposed to chemical, thermal or radiation irritants. In case of a chemical burn to the eye, rinse with water and seek medical help.
In case of complex damage, hospitalization and, in some cases, surgery are prescribed. If a minor injury occurs, dispensary treatment is carried out under the supervision of specialists, which will quickly restore the injured organ.
The complex of eye treatment includes the use of:
- compresses of cold water, hydrogen peroxide;
- antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ointments;
- antibiotics;
- drugs that reduce eye pressure and restore blood vessels.
Drug treatment is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.
- superficial damage;
- penetrating;
- stupid;
- burns
How to understand that the eye is leaking?
Leakage of aqueous humor from the eye can be confused with other ophthalmic discharges:
- tears;
- pus;
- blood.
The substance released when the eye leaks is very similar to tears.
If the visual organ leaks, the liquid is as clear as tears, but has a thicker consistency. If there are patches of yellow or red in the discharge, this means that there is bleeding or an abscess opening. Any discharge is a special indication for consulting a doctor.
Features of a foreign body getting into the eye
A corneal foreign body is a slightly more serious case than a conjunctival lesion. In this case, a routine examination is not enough; biomicroscopy and radiography are used, which allows you to determine the depth of foreign bodies, their number and size.
If you have a foreign body in the cornea, it will be removed in a hospital setting. Corneal injuries caused by foreign bodies can cause severe inflammation, so antibiotics are also used after the foreign bodies are removed.
Take care of your baby's eyes. Try to instill in him a responsible attitude towards his health, be sure to explain that the eye should not be touched or rubbed with dirty hands (you can introduce infection and dust). And of course, don’t put off going to the doctor if something gets into your baby’s eye.
What to do: first aid
After an injury, immediate response is important. The more time passes when the organ of vision leaks, the less likely it is to maintain its functionality. If a sharp object hits the eyeball, it is recommended to stop moving the affected organ. If the foreign body is straight and without uneven shape, it is recommended to carefully and slowly remove it yourself.
After removing the object, the eyelids are closed and movements are recommended to be avoided. It is important to tilt your head back if you cannot take a horizontal position. But in the case of a hook-shaped object or a stick with knots, you should immediately consult an experienced doctor. If possible, apply a bandage and immediately call an ambulance or go to the clinic. During the trip, it is important to take a horizontal position. This way the flow will be slower and there will be a little more time. Refusal to seek medical attention for any damage to the visual organs can significantly worsen the condition, even if the injury immediately appears insignificant.
In case of all eye injuries, you should not rub the damaged organs with your hands.
Eye injuries in children
Particular attention should be paid to eye injury in a child. Children cannot always determine the location of pain and often spread the infection throughout the body. If you do not contact a specialist in a timely manner, treatment can be protracted and complex. Any deviations from the norm (redness, blurred vision, rolling eyes, frequent blinking) should cause concern and immediately consult a doctor. Children should be examined regularly (once a year) by an ophthalmologist to avoid deterioration or loss of vision.
If you injure your eye, immediately consult a doctor and follow all his instructions. Do not forget that delay can lead to irreversible processes. Vision is an indispensable source of information about the world around us.
Features of treatment
Eye surgery is a complex procedure and takes a very long time.
After delivery to the clinic, the patient may be prescribed urgent surgery. The operation can be quite lengthy. This depends on the severity of the injury and the condition of the victim. Sometimes it is necessary to remove the lens or the entire organ. Open wounds are disinfected with peroxide or chlorhexidine solution, and compresses with wound-healing medications are applied. After the surgical process, the patient is assigned:
- anesthetics;
- drops for lubricating the eyeball and cornea;
- gels to speed up recovery;
- anti-inflammatory steroid hormones;
- antibiotic drugs.
If the eye has completely leaked out, it is recommended to do prosthetics. The recovery process after surgery is long - up to 5 years. There is no guarantee for full restoration of visual function. This depends on the severity of the injury and the time it takes the patient to get to the clinical department to receive medical care.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of eye injury allows us to identify the cause and extent of damage, which in turn is necessary to prescribe adequate treatment.
Note! First of all, during diagnosis, the fundus of the eye is examined - this procedure is performed using ultrasound equipment or an ophthalmic mirror.
Sometimes an X-ray examination is required (this method is especially relevant for penetrating wounds and helps determine the presence of a foreign body in the eye).
During the diagnostic process, the ophthalmologist can not only determine the type of injury and the degree of damage, but also give a prognosis regarding the condition in which the patient’s vision will remain after treatment.
At the ophthalmic trauma center, a medical history of the injury will be taken, initial measures will be taken to treat the damaged area and, if necessary, the foreign body will be removed from the injured eye.
By contacting a specialized institution, you will receive a full range of examinations, consisting of:
- ophthalmochromoscopy,
- tonography;
- rheography;
- ultrasound examination;
- X-ray diagnostics.
After diagnostic measures are carried out, a diagnosis is established and treatment is prescribed.
First aid for eye injury
First aid for an eye injury is to immediately call a doctor or go to the nearest medical facility yourself, but while waiting for a specialist, you should try to remove the foreign body if the injury is caused by it.
To do this, you need to pull back the lower or upper eyelid and try to carefully remove the foreign object with the corner of a folded scarf or piece of fabric. Do not rub your eyes - this will lead to even greater irritation.
After removing the foreign body, it is necessary to drop 2-3 drops of albucid into the affected eye.
You can also use the following eye drops for eye injury for treatment at home and during rehabilitation after injury in accordance with the instructions for use:
- Korneregel;
- Solcoseryl;
- Balarpan-N;
- Vitasik;
- Hyphenation.
Before using such drugs, you should consult with your doctor, who will help you plan a course of treatment and recommend the appropriate type of drops.
Drops such as alcaine, inocaine, lidocaine can be used as anesthetic drops after an injury. After application, they begin to act in one to two minutes and will provide an analgesic effect for 15-20 minutes.
- Do not allow the victim to rub or press the eye or try to perform any manipulations with the eyes with dirty hands;
- understand whether a mechanical injury occurred (ingress of a foreign object, impact with a blunt object, scratch with a branch) or chemical injury (ingress of glue, gasoline), find out whether there is a penetrating wound;
- wash your hands thoroughly and treat them with an alcohol-containing solution (before providing first aid);
- if there is no penetrating wound, then you can try to rinse the eye, especially effective if a small speck or liquid irritating the eye gets in contact. Important - rinse only with clean running water;
- in case of a chemical burn, rinse for at least 30 minutes;
- do not even try to remove metal, wood and other sharp foreign bodies protruding from the eye yourself; a clueless assistant in this case may be worse than the injury itself;
- in case of bleeding and hemorrhages, apply a soft gauze bandage to the eye area, ice will be helpful (apply carefully so as not to feel pressure on the wound);
- during transportation, ask the victim to close the other uninjured eye, since when one eye moves, the second one involuntarily begins to move;
- Be sure to go to an eye emergency room.
If you come across a soft speck that does not penetrate the eye, you can try to pull it out yourself
With clean hands, pull back the lower eyelid and carefully use a corner of a clean soft cloth slightly moistened with water to move the speck to the corner of the eye (if it is soft and mobile), sometimes it is enough to blink a few times and the speck is washed away with a tear.
The situation is a little more complicated if the speck gets under the upper eyelid. Arrange for the victim to look down. Then it is necessary to pull back the upper eyelid, turn it slightly out and pull the upper eyelid down over the lower eyelid. Release the eyelid you were holding. Often the speck remains on the eyelashes of the lower eyelid during this manipulation.
Can be repeated several times. Afterwards, apply any antibacterial eye drops to avoid post-traumatic conjunctivitis.
The most common are superficial eye injuries associated with midges, specks, and eyelashes. In this case, the action plan is as follows.
Blink actively - perhaps the foreign body will come out on its own along with the tear fluid.
If you experience discomfort after this, go to the mirror and pull down your lower eyelid (or upper eyelid, depending on which part of the eye you feel discomfort in). If you find an eyelash or speck, remove it using the tip of a handkerchief soaked in water. A cotton swab is also suitable, which also needs to be wet.
You should not rub your eye. Otherwise, you can “drive” the speck deeper. In this case, only a doctor can remove the foreign body.
After removing a foreign body into the eye, it is recommended to instill drops with a disinfectant effect.
Often, a foreign object is not on the surface of the eye, but penetrates into the cornea or deeper. In this case, it must be removed by a specialist; you cannot act on your own! You can only cover your eye with a bandage and go to the doctor.
The help of an ophthalmologist is also required if a branch pokes into the eye or another injury occurs, even superficial. Typically, with such injuries, the eyelids reflexively close. They need to be opened slightly - carefully, without pressing on the eyeball - and antibacterial drops should be instilled. After this, you should cover your eye with a sterile napkin and immediately consult a doctor.
A visit to a specialist is also required if the speck was small and it seemed to have been removed, but the next day the redness of the eye, tearing, and the sensation of a foreign body in the eye persist.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye (conjunctiva). Its cause may be an allergic reaction, the penetration of viruses or bacteria. In any case, the symptoms are similar. This is redness, lacrimation and discharge from the eyes, pain in the eyes.
Treatment for conjunctivitis should be selected by an ophthalmologist. But if in the first days of the illness there is no access to a doctor, you can independently wash your eyes with a warm tea solution and instill antiseptic drops.
For conjunctivitis treatment to be effective, it is important to follow a number of rules.
If one eye is affected, the drops should be in both.
If you have conjunctivitis, you should not put a bandage on your eye - this creates favorable conditions for the spread of infection.
If there is pus or mucus in the eye, before instilling drops you need to remove them using a cotton pad soaked in tea, a weak solution of potassium permanganate or furatsilin.
In most cases, conjunctivitis is contagious, so it is important that the sick person wipes his face only with his own towel and uses his own washing gel.
Remember, self-medication is life-threatening; consult a doctor for advice on the use of any medications.
If a person has suffered an eye injury, it is necessary to provide emergency first aid.
- rub the damaged eye, put pressure on it;
- touch it, try to remove the foreign body yourself;
- wash the eye in case of a penetrating wound (exception: penetration of chemical solutions into the eye);
- neutralize the effect of one substance with another (if the burn was caused by an acid solution, then it should not be washed with alkali);
- use cotton wool for bandaging, as its fibers can get into the eye and aggravate the situation (with the exception of eyelid wounds with severe bleeding).
- wash your hands before any manipulation;
- calm the victim;
- take him to the emergency room.
- clean the damaged area from contamination with water or antiseptic solutions;
- apply cold without pressing on the eye, cover the wound with a sterile bandage;
- make a bandage of cotton wool and gauze in case of heavy bleeding.
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In case of contact with a chemical solution, you must:
- rinse eyes and eyelids with running water;
- sit the victim near the sink, tilt his head back, open his eyelids, and rinse his eyes for 30 minutes;
- transport the victim to the emergency room.
If quicklime powder gets into your eye, under no circumstances should you rinse your eyes! Interacting with water, lime produces heat, intensifying the burn. Crystals are removed with a dry, clean cloth.
If super glue gets into your eye:
- try to remove the glue from the skin of the eyelids (you can apply tetracycline ointment 1%);
- open an eye;
- instill antibacterial drops (Albucid (20%), Levomycetin (0.25%), Vitabact (0.05%));
- take the victim to the emergency room.
- remove dirt from the skin of the eyelids, wipe with alcohol so that it does not get into the eyes;
- put dry ice on your eyes (place the ice in a bag, wrap the bag in a clean napkin);
- anoint the skin of the eyelids with tetracycline ointment 1%.
In case of a burn from ultraviolet rays:
- due to severe photophobia resulting from the burn, darken the room;
- apply antibacterial ointment (for example, tetracycline 1%) behind the eyelid;
- put dry ice on your eyes (place the ice in a bag, wrap the bag in a clean napkin);
- give painkillers (Pentalgin, Nurofen, Ibuprofen);
- If the pain does not go away within an hour, go to the emergency room.
Bleeding
- instill antibacterial drops (Albucid (20%), Levomycetin (0.25%), Vitabact (0.05%));
- cover the eye with a sterile bandage;
- Don't put pressure on the eye.
Foreign body
For a foreign body protruding from the eye:
- cover the fellow eye with a napkin, since simultaneous movement of the eyeballs will displace the intraocular part of the foreign body and lead to additional damage;
- instill antibacterial drops (Albucid (20%), Levomycetin (0.25%), Vitabact (0.05%));
- without wasting time, go to the emergency room;
- You should not try to remove a foreign body yourself.
If a speck that gets into the eye does not come out with active blinking and lacrimation, you need to:
- examine the eye by pulling back the lower eyelid;
- try to wash the speck with water (without using a scarf, cotton wool, or tweezers);
- instill antibacterial drops (Albucid (20%), Levomycetin (0.25%), Vitabact (0.05%));
- go to the emergency room if you can’t get rid of the speck.
If the particle is sharp (glass from broken glasses, for example), you should not try to get it out yourself. Clumsy manipulations further injure the eye, which can lead to damage to the lens or optic nerve.
Treatment
Therapy for eye injury is aimed at achieving the following goals:
- Save the eye as an organ, restore the location of damaged structures.
- Preserve or restore vision.
To eliminate wounds to the eyelids and conjunctiva, surgical treatment is performed. The stitches are removed after a week or two. If the tear ducts are damaged, they are restored by implanting tubes that prevent the tear ducts from becoming overgrown.
Burns are treated by prolonged rinsing with water (if it was a chemical burn). Then conservative treatment is carried out. If the burn is moderate or severe, the patient should be hospitalized.
Penetrating wounds require urgent surgical intervention. The sutures are removed after 2-3 months, depending on the severity of the eye damage.
The damaged lens is removed surgically, as inflammation may develop and the pressure in the eye will increase. Subsequently, an artificial lens is implanted.