First Aid For People With Eye Injuries

Eye injury certainly requires professional treatment, but if it is very urgent, first aid is important to prevent further injury. The most common eye injury that requires first aid is when a particle enters the eye, such as dust, wood chips, glass, metal, concrete, or other hard substances. In addition, chemical particles, steam and radiation energy can also cause injury to the eye.

A natural urge to rub the eyes will definitely emerge at the time, but don’t do it occasionally if you don’t want the eye injury to get worse. Rubbing the eyes causes sharp particles to damage the delicate tissue lining the inside of the eye. Here is a guide to first aid in eye injuries by American Red Cross.

What not to do with eye injuries

The following are some things that should be avoided when an eye injury occurs:

• Never touch your eyes to inspect foreign objects in them before you wash your hands first. If not, dirt may get into the eye and cause severe injury.


• Never act harshly, this might make eye injury worse.


• Never remove a foreign object with a toothpick, matchstick, knife, magnet, or other object.


• Do not pull out objects that are stuck in the eye. Remember to take the patient to the doctor if a foreign object is stuck in the eye.

How to take a foreign object that is not stuck in the eye

Here are the things that must be done to take particles into the eye, but do not stick in the eye:

1. Pull down the lower eyelid and see if there is an object located on the membrane membrane surface of the lid. If so, the object must be gently removed with a cotton swab or other applicator that has been moistened with water (do not use dry cotton around the eyes).


2. Gently hold the upper eyelid between your thumb and forefinger, advise the patient to look up, and pull the eyelid back and forth through the lower eyelid. Foreign objects contained in the membrane of the upper lid often can be detached and lost by tears.


3. Flush eyes with clean water. This can be done with a small spray or with eye drops. Never lubricate any appliance during first aid treatment under any circumstances.


4. If a foreign object is still present or implanted in the eye immediately contact a doctor. Foreign body that is retained can cause tissue changes and develop scars. In some cases, this can cause vision loss. Remember, inflammation of the lining of the eye may cause other sympathetic inflammation.


5. In case of serious injury, apply a sterile gauze pad or oval eye pad. Close both eyes of the patient when he is on his way to the hospital.


6. If the patient is in a severe shock or coma, close the eyelids to prevent visual damage that may result from drying the eyeball. If the eyelids fail to close, they must be covered with gauze or prevent them from opening with adhesive tape or tape.

What to do with other eye injury cases?

The best advice is to take the victim to the doctor as soon as possible. Damage to the lids can be caused by non-expert care. The only recommended first aid treatment is the application of sterile gauze or firmly wrapped gauze pad.

What should be done if an eye burn occurs?

Heat, chemicals, gases or chemical particles can cause burns to the eyes. Usually if a dangerous substance approaches the eye, the lid will reflexively close, so that only the surface of the lid is affected by a burn. Burns on the eyelids, however, can be serious, because they can damage the tear ducts and cause scarring. Chemicals such as acids, alkalis, anhydrides, or detergents may burst into your eyes before you can close your eyes, which can cause severe eye injury. If that happens, immediately wash your eyes with clean water in large quantities.