The structure of your face helps protect your eyes from injury. Still, injuries can damage your eye, sometimes severely enough that you could lose your vision. Most eye injuries are preventable. If you play sports or work in certain jobs, you may need protection.
The most common type of injury happens when something irritates the outer surface of your eye. Certain jobs such as industrial jobs or hobbies such as carpentry make this type of injury more likely. It's also more likely if you wear contact lenses.
Chemicals or heat can burn your eyes. With chemicals, the pain may cause you to close your eyes. This traps the irritant next to the eye and may cause more damage. You should wash out your eye right away while you wait for medical help.
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Eye Injuries(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/eye_injury.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/medicos/eye_injury_esp.html
- Eye Injuries(Virtual Pediatric Hospital) - http://www.virtualpediatrichospital.org/patients/cqqa/eyeinjuries.shtml
- Injuries to the Eye(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec20/ch227/ch227a.html
- Kids' Eye Injuries from Golf Clubs Rare but Severe(09/08/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69033.html
- Eye Injury(DSHI Systems) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.freemd.com/eye-injury/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
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Eye Injuries(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/eye_injury.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/medicos/eye_injury_esp.html
- First Aid for Eye Emergencies(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/safety/firstaid.html
- When an Eye Injury Occurs(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/eyeinjury.cfm
- Eye Safety(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/eye-safety.cfm
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Eye Safety: Emergency Response and Disaster Recovery(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) - http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/eyesafe.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/docs/eyesafeSP.html
- Fireworks Eye Safety(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/safety/fireworksafety.html
- Home Eye Safety Checklist(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/safety/homecheck.html
- Jump Starting a Car Battery(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/safety/battery.html
- Protective Eyewear(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/injuries/eyewear.cfm
- Selecting Personal Protective Equipment (Eyes and Face) for the Workplace(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/eyeandface/ppe/selection.html
- Special Focus on Paintball and Eye Safety(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZD5TRRSKC&sub_cat=32
- Workplace Eye Safety(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/safety/worksafe.html
- Black Eye: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-black-eye/HQ00016/METHOD=print
- Corneal Abrasion and Erosion(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZBYRJUUIE&sub_cat=0
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Corneal Abrasions(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/firstaid/basics/205.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/firstaid/basics/205.printerview.html
- Don't Forget about Your Eyes This Winter(American Osteopathic Association) - http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=you_winteye
- Eye Injuries in Construction(Center to Protect Workers' Rights) - Links to PDF - http://www.cpwr.com/pdfs/pubs/hazard_alerts/hazeyes.pdf
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Eye Injuries in Sports(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/injuries/794.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/physical/injuries/794.printerview.html
- Eye Socket Fracture (Fracture of the Orbit)(InteliHealth) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9339/9961.html
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Macular Pucker
(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/pucker/
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Retinal Detachment(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/retinaldetach/
- Enucleation and Evisceration -- Loss of an Eye(American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) - Links to PDF - http://www.asoprs.org/files/public/InfoEnucEvis.pdf
- Is UV Radiation Dangerous to Our Eyes?(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ634TGZLC&sub_cat=0
- Living with Vision Loss in One Eye(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZC908WUIE&sub_cat=0
- Corneal Abrasion(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/cornealAbrasion.htm
- Corneal Foreign Body(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/cornealForeignBody.htm
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Diagram of the Eye(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/eyediagram/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/diagrama_ojo.asp
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Financial Aid for Eye Care(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/financialaid.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/financialaid_sp.asp
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Eye Injuries(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Eye+Injuries%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Ultrasonic biomicroscopic evaluation of cyclodialysis before and after direct cyclopexy. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18779481&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Eye lens exposure to radiation in interventional suites: caution is... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18632529&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Early predictors of traumatic glaucoma after closed globe injury: trabecular... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18625937&tool=MedlinePlus
- Eye Injuries -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=eye+injuries[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Eye Health Organizations Database(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/resourceSearch.asp
- Find a Pediatric Ophthalmologist(American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus) - http://aapos.affiniscape.com/associations/5371/aapos_search.cfm
- Find an Eye M.D.(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.aao.org/aao/eyemd_disclaimer.cfm
- Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons Directory(American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) - http://www.asoprs.org/custom/directory/?pageid=3297&showTitle=1
- American Optometric Association - http://www.aoa.org/
- American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - http://www.asoprs.org/
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National Eye Institute - http://www.nei.nih.gov/
- Prevent Blindness America - http://www.preventblindness.org/
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For Parents, Teachers and Coaches(National Eye Institute) - Links to PDF - http://www.nei.nih.gov/sports/index.asp
- How Can You Protect Your Children's Eyes from Ultraviolet Rays?(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZWD5VX08C&sub_cat=117
- Play It Safe!(Prevent Blindness America) - http://preventblindness.org/children/playitsf.html
- Eyes and Vision - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eyesandvision.html
- Injuries and Wounds - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/injuriesandwounds.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Eye Injuries is the National Eye Institute - http://www.nei.nih.gov/