Dr Sushank Bhalerao
Consultant,
The Cornea Institute,
Kode Venkatadri Chowdary Campus, Vijayawada
L V Prasad Eye Institute
Injuries contribute to 16% of the global burden of disease and 9% of deaths worldwide. Trauma to the eyes is often associated with serious injuries in the eye that may result in loss of vision. World estimates show that about 1.6 million people become blind, and 19 million people lose vision in one eye or are left with low vision following eye injuries.
Leading causes of eye injuries (trauma):
- Road traffic accidents (RTA) remain the most common cause of injury to the eye
- The other causes are - industrial accidents, falls, animal bites, interpersonal violence, and sports-related activities
'The seriousness of an eye injury is easy to underestimate and can result in irreversible vision loss and facial deformation. Vision loss due to eye injury can be avoided if timely and appropriate care and treatment are given to the patient. It is important to educate the public on the importance of seeking timely medical care for eye injuries', says, Dr Sushank Bhalerao, Consultant, The Cornea Institute, Kode Venkatadri Chowdary Campus, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Vijayawada.
Below are some important points that should be kept in mind when an eye injury happens:
Dos:
- To decrease your chances of developing permanent eye damage, consult an eye doctor at the earliest.
- Gently place a shield (protective cover) over the eye and oral pain killer tablets (like paracetamol) can be taken till you reach the eye hospital.
- Timely treatment - ideally within the first 6 hours and preferably within the first 24 hours of trauma is crucial to saving the vision of a person.
Don’ts:
- Don’t attempt to treat an eye injury yourself.
- Don't rub your eyes or apply any pressure if you get an injury.
- Even if the injury looks minor, such as a particle in your eye, do not rub it. Rubbing the eye may lead to a corneal scratch. To remove dust or sand from the eye, wash your eyes with clean water. If you are still not able to remove it, seek professional care.
- Don't try to clean the injured eye with any piece of cloth or towel (if you do so, there are chances you might damage the eye further)
- Don’t apply any ointment or medication to the eye without medical supervision.
- Don’t use any over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops to treat the injury – it can cause more harm than good. They can lead to an increase in pain and make the injury worse.
- Don't wear your contact lenses till the injury is completely healed. It can slow down the healing process and can also lead to complications.
Treatment:
- To decrease the chances of developing permanent eye damage, an ophthalmologist should be consulted at the earliest
- If the injury is not very severe, it can be treated conservatively with saline eye wash, topical antibiotic, lubricant eye drops and oral pain killer tablets.
- In cases where it is very severe, surgical intervention might be needed.
Eye Trauma Services at L V Prasad Eye Institute, Vijayawada:
- A coordinated multidisciplinary team effort is necessary for the best management of ocular (eye) and orbitofacial injuries.
- L V Prasad Eye Institute offers speciality care - cornea and anterior segment, vitreo-retina, ophthalmic plastic surgery, neuro-ophthalmology, anaesthesia, and critical care - for successful management of eye injuries.
- Over the past 10 years have successfully treated close to 1300 patients with various eye injuries where over 40% from underprivileged backgrounds were treated at no cost to them.
- Training programs are being organized for medical practitioners for early referrals to bring down the morbidity from eye trauma.
- Research to improve the treatment modalities and outcomes of eye injuries is ongoing.