There are three common types of eye injuries, and the emergency treatment methods for different types are different!

Author: Ma Zhizhong, Chief Physician, Peking University Third Hospital

Reviewer: Tian Bei, Chief Physician, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University

Eye injuries can be roughly divided into three categories: physical injuries, chemical injuries, and biological injuries. For example, a bamboo stick or fruit knife stabbing the eye is a physical injury; acid or alkali burning the eye is a chemical injury; bacteria, viruses, insects and other pathogenic organisms damaging the eye are biological injuries. The most common eye injuries are physical injuries and chemical injuries.

1. What should you do first after your eyes are burned by acid or alkali?

For chemical injuries, whether they are acid burns or alkali burns, it is far more meaningful to thoroughly rinse the area immediately after the injury than to go to the hospital immediately.

Usually find a place with a faucet. If the faucet is not convenient, you can use a basin to rinse. Put your entire face into the water, blink frequently in the water, and shake your head vigorously when your eyes are open. This will easily remove the injury.

Figure 1 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

After flushing, go to the hospital immediately and let the doctor treat it, such as taking medicine, using drugs to neutralize acids or alkalis.

It is very important to flush the eyes on the spot. You must do this before going to the hospital. You can use water from the spot. If you don't have clean water, you can use beverages. Colored or colorless beverages are fine. If you don't have these, you can actually use your own urine. As long as there is no urinary tract infection, urine is actually sterile. There is no problem with using urine to flush the eyes. If you don't have urine, you can use other people's urine.

2. How to provide first aid if the eye is stabbed or hit by a blunt object?

After an eye injury, if the integrity of the eyeball is not destroyed, the inside of the eyeball is not connected to the outside world, and the tissue inside the eyeball is damaged, either lightly or severely, this is called a blunt injury or a closed injury, such as a fist hit. If the eyeball is damaged and the inside of the eyeball is connected to the outside world, this is called an open injury, such as a knife, bamboo stick or other sharp objects piercing the eyeball.

The biggest difference between closed and open injuries is that open injuries can be infected at any time and anywhere. If it is an open injury, you can take broad-spectrum antibiotics first. It is best not to use anti-inflammatory eye drops to the eyes casually, especially eye drops that have been opened for a long time. They may have expired and been contaminated with bacteria. Eyes will not get infected after being injured, but using eye drops may cause infection.

If your eyeball is ruptured, you usually cannot do anything special to treat it yourself before going to the hospital. It is not recommended to do any treatment. Don't try to pull open the eyelids to see the injury of the eyeball. After an eye injury, the eyelids will swell and the muscles will be in a spasm. If you force the eyes open, the open eyeball will be under pressure, which can easily squeeze out the tissue inside the eyeball and cause secondary injury.

Usually the best thing to do is to cover the eyes with a sterile gauze and tape them shut. If there is no tape, you can use a tape to wrap them around your eyes. Then seek emergency medical attention and professional treatment.

Figure 2 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

Therefore, after mechanical eye trauma, the first thing to do is to seek emergency medical attention. This is something that requires special attention in cases of mechanical eye trauma.

3. What should you pay attention to if a foreign object enters your eyes?

When it is windy, small droplets, iron filings, sand, and small flying insects will be blown into the eyes, which is called blindness. After blindness, people usually blow their eyes, pry open their eyelids and blow hard. Sometimes the things in the eyes can be blown out, but most of the time it will not have much effect. Some people also lick their eyes with their tongues. There are a lot of bacteria in the mouth, which is not a very hygienic method, not very scientific, and has risks.

Eyes usually shed tears after being blurred. The best way is to let the eyes shed tears. Tears can wash away foreign objects. Let the eyelids wash away foreign objects by themselves, just like the windshield wipers of a car. This is very safe. At this time, you must not wipe it with your hands, handkerchiefs, towels, or sleeves. It is very dangerous. Because after being blurred, the eyes' resistance will be reduced at this time, and it is easy to get infected. Let the eyes shed tears as much as you want and blink quickly. This is the best way to solve blurred vision.

If the foreign body cannot be removed by this method, you can only go to the hospital and let the doctor use sterilized instruments, such as glass rods and needles, to remove the foreign body. After the foreign body is removed, antibiotic eye drops should be routinely used to prevent infection and corneal ulcers.