Those who are injured on the job or in an accident can sometimes sustain injury to their eyes. Eye injuries range from the mild irritation to the severe injury that could cause blindness. The structure of your face helps protect your eyes from injury. However, workplace and accident injuries can still occur. If you have sustained and eye injury due to the negligence of another person, it is important to get prompt medical attention and then seek out any legal remedies to which you may be entitled.
The most common type of injury happens when something irritates the outer surface of your eye. Certain jobs such as industrial jobs, such as carpentry make this type of injury more likely. Those who work in beauty salons, especially around acrylic nails, are also at risk for these types of injuries. Finally, those who wear contact lenses in these professions are even more likely to sustain these kinds of injuries.
Another common kind of eye injury occurs when chemicals or heat burns the eyes. The pain caused by chemicals may cause people to close their eyes. This traps the irritant next to the eye and may cause more damage. Clearly, it is important to know some basic information about eye injuries so you know how to treat them without making them worse.
Black Eyes
Black eyes most commonly occur when a person is struck in the eye or face and bruising occurs around the eye area. Black eyes are very common in accidents. Most people think that black eyes will heal on their own. While many will, it is important to know the proper way to treat black eyes as well as the warning signs to look for.
For proper treatment of a black eye:
Apply cold compresses intermittently: 5 to 10 minutes on, 10 to 15 minutes off. Do not place ice directly on the delicate skin around the eye, make sure there is something between the skin and the ice.
After 24 to 48 hours, switch to applying warm compresses. This helps the body reabsorb the leakage of blood and may help reduce bruising.
For pain, take acetaminophen. Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, as both can increase bleeding.
Prop your head on a pillow at night to reduce swelling. Try to sleep on the unaffected side of your face.
Call a doctor immediately you experience: drainage from your eye, persistent eye pain, increased redness after the initial few hours, any visible deformity or abnormality of the eye, visible bleeding on the white part of the eye, or any changes in vision.
Chemical Eye Exposure
Many chemicals can cause severe harm to the eye. If you get chemicals in your eye at work or during an accident, call paramedics or poison control right away. Also right away, flush out the eye with luke warm water for 15-30 minutes. Do not rub the eye or keep it closed. Do not delay flushing it out with water for any reason.
Embedded Foreign Object in Eye
In vehicle accidents, as well as some work accidents, a foreign object may become embedded in the eye. If there is any kind of object sticking out of the eye, such as a piece or metal, glass, plastic or wood, call emergency medical personnel immediately. Do not attempt to remove the object from the eye yourself. Instead, cover the affected eye with a small cup. Tape the cup in place so that there is no additional pressure on the affected area.
These are just some of the most common of the many possible eye injuries that could occur. If you have experienced this kind of injury because of the recklessness or negligence of a third party, the attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP can help you evaluate your potential case. Contact the firm through the main website at www.bermanlawyers.com or by phone at 858 350-8855 for your free initial consultation.
