CHENNAI: Ocular emergencies, though rare, are very challenging for an ophthalmologist. Appropriate treatment at the earliest can go a long way in establishing good visual acuity. Such injuries are among the most frequently treated in hospital emergency rooms. They can vary from mild to severe bleeding to a total loss of vision. When an eye injury occurs, it is important to determine how severe the damage is.
According to Dr Mohan Rajan, medical director, Rajan Eye Care Hospital, all eye injuries should be referred to an ophthalmologist immediately. It is estimated that 90 per cent of all eye injuries are preventable and that 50 per cent of them occur at home. Whether one is at home, school, work or play, one should always be aware of the best ways to protect one’s sight. In this pandemic-induced lockdown, Rajan Eye Care is seeing an increased number of eye injuries.
There are different types of eye injury. At home, the injuries can be caused by a blunt instrument (blunt injuries) or a sharp instrument (penetrating injuries). Generally, penetrating injuries are more serious than the blunt ones. The most common problem is the presence of a foreign body in the eye, which usually sticks to the cornea. Foreign bodies penetrate the eye and get lodged in any part i.e the lens, the vitreous, the retina etc. This requires major intraocular surgery. It can be removed only by an ophthalmologist with a special instrument.
On the other hand, chemical injuries are mostly occupational. Acid injuries are less complicated than alkali ones. This is because the alkali can penetrate into the coats of the eye and result in long-term complications. But whether it is an acid or alkaline injury, the first thing to do after a chemical injury is to expose the eye to running water, wash the eye thoroughly and consult an ophthalmologist immediately. Alkali injuries can produce permanent corneal opacities and severe dry eye (reduction in tear secretion). Treatment is difficult and may extend for several months. Corneal transplant may be necessary in some cases.
The other kind of injury that is common at homes is the one caused by pressure cooker. In such cases, the weight hits the eye like a bullet resulting in serious damage to the eyes. It produces a rupture of the globe with severe bleeding. Such eyes are irreparable in spite of most sophisticated facilities available. The only way to solve the problem is to make sure that the cooker vent is clean and functions properly. In all these injuries, it was found that the outlet of the valve was occluded by a small food particle. For example, the pressure cooker was overloaded with vessels up to the top. Besides this, children can damage their eyes while playing, especially by sharp objects like pencil, compass, sticks, etc. This can produce a tear in the cornea, a traumatic cataract or a haemorrhage inside the eye. Sharp instruments and chemicals should be kept out of the reach of children.
Sport injuries are usually blunt injuries because of a cricket ball or a tennis ball or shuttlecock. It can produce bleeding in front of the eye (hyphema), bleeding inside the eye (vitreous haemorrhage) or retinal detachment, macular edema, angle recession glaucoma or traumatic cataract. Injuries in the swimming pool by wearing improper goggles have also been reported. After the recent retelecast of Ramayana and Mahabharata on TV, there have been cases of bow and arrow injuries of the eye. This can cause problems like corneal tear, globe rupture etc.
First aid
In case of ocular injuries or emergencies, contact: Rajan Eye Care Hospital, World-Class Eye Care, No.5, Vidyodaya 2nd street, T.Nagar, Chennai-600017. Phone: 28340500/0300.
Email: rajaneye@md2.vsnl.net.in. Website: www.rajaneyecare.com