Ocular Trauma – Injury to the Eye

Trauma to the eye can sometimes lead to vision threatening complications. Injuries can lead to scratches on the cornea (corneal abrasion), bleeding in parts of the eye (hyphema or vitreous hemorrhage), high pressure in the eye (glaucoma), clouding of the lens in the eye (cataract) or retinal detachment. Trauma to the eye that is substantial—or if it causes temporary or ongoing vision loss, eye pain, floaters or flashes—should be promptly evaluated by an eye specialist. Treatment may be needed to help restore or preserve vision.

More severe trauma to the eye can sometimes break or cut the wall of the eye. High velocity impacts that can occur with grinding tools, hammering, and landscaping equipment such as weed-whackers may cause objects to enter the inside of the eye. This can lead to problems such as severe bleeding, infection, retinal detachment, permanent vision loss and/or loss of the eye. With these serious injuries, surgery is often required promptly to maximize the outcome. With more serious trauma, one or more surgical procedures may be required to treat the injured eye.