Archived Eye Injury Articles
Protecting Our Local Military Vision
A common occurrence in my practice has been military personal presenting for an urgent eye exam after being called for deployment overseas. Just like helmets and camouflage jackets, military personal need protective eyewear. These soldiers may be exposed to dust, sand, chemicals, and not to mention the possibility of live ammunition and artillery blasts. In fact, eye injuries may account for 10% of combat related injuries. The soldiers are given a current prescription that can be used to obtain their standard issue safety eyewear. I also try to prepare soldiers in the event they are presented with a serious eye emergency. Knowing proper ways to flush the eye and also protect an eye after an injury can literally be the difference between seeing and not seeing in the future. This type of knowledge is best dispensed by a medically trained eye doctor, namely an ophthalmologist. I also give the soldiers recommendations. First of all, always have a backup pair of glasses in the case that glasses are broken or lost. Next, don’t depend entirely on contacts. The climate may be too hot or dusty for contact lens wear to be comfortable. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is also needed to protect the eyes against sunlight. Lenses in all eyewear should be shatter resistant and lightweight. Lastly, I wish the soldiers a safe and healthy return.
Corneal Abrasions: A Common Sports Injury
One of the most painful sensations is a scratch on the clear
surface of the eye. This is what we term a corneal abrasion. It happens
all too common during sports. Usually from being poked in the eye or
being hit in the eye with a ball. It may also happen if material such
as sand gets into the eye or from a torn contact lens. Sometimes
rubbing the eyes hard and long enough can also produce a corneal
abrasion.
Signs of a corneal abrasion include redness, blurry vision, and
tearing. Symptoms include intense pain, scratchy or foreign body
sensation in the eye, and light sensitivity. If you think you have a
corneal abrasion, you should seek out medical attention with an
ophthalmologist right away. This is a medically trained eye doctor who
can utilize a special painless yellow dye to diagnose a corneal
abrasion and also rule out any foreign material in the eye. Treatment
of a corneal abrasion often involves drops or ointment that contain
antibiotic and pain relieving medication. Special corneal abrasions
such as very large ones require use of an eye patch. Only your eye
doctor should make the decision to patch your eye or not. The healing
time for most corneal abrasions is about two days, but symptoms can
persist for several days afterward. Corneal abrasions can be prevented
by wearing the appropriate safety gear. Sports goggles or eye shields
that attach to helmets are excellent preventative measures against
corneal abrasions. Always remember to play safe.
