First Aid and Safety Eye Injuries

Eye Injuries
Most eye injuries are minor, like getting soap in the eyes or a speck of dirt under the eyelide, but others like those that happen during sports activities, can be serious and must be given medical care.

Signs and Symptoms:

• redness
  
• stinging or burning
  
• watering
• sensivity to light
• blurred vision
• swelling of the eyelides
• discolaration around the eyes

What to Do:?
Minor eye irritations can be treared by flushing the eye with water, but more serious injuries require medical attention. For less serious injuries, like sand or dirt in the eye, do not try to remove something from the eye except by flushing.
Be sure to:

• Wash your hand before touching the eye area.
• Flush the eye with water as soon as possible.
• Tilt the child's head over a basine or sink with the affected eye pointed down.
• Gently pull down the lower lid.
• Gently pour a steady stream of lukewarm water over the eye.
• Flush the eye for up to 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes to see if the foreign body has been fludhed out.

Seek Medical Care if the Child Has:

• been struck in the eye with the ball or other objects
• a red or irritated eye
• eye discomfort
• a red, swollen, or painful area around the eye or eyelide
• an eye that's very sensitive to light

Seek Emergency Care Immediately if the Child:

• has trouble seeing
• has been expsoed to chemicals
• has something embedded in the eye
• has sever eye pain
• has blood in the eye
• has nausea or vomiting after an eye pain

Think Prevention!
If the child is involved in sports, be sure to provide protective goggles or unbreakable glasses. keep chemicals and other potentially necessary dangerous objects out of the reach of the children.