Your eyes are vital to your well-being. Healthy eyes connect you to the environment by helping you navigate and appreciate its beauty. Thus, you must take care of them. Your eyes can also reveal that something is wrong with your body. Pay attention because it could save your life and help you detect a significant issue in its early stages.

Chemicals

Households contain different kinds of chemicals. The common ones are household detergents and gardening chemicals. These can splash as you conduct your activities. It can result in some getting into your eyes. If this happens, start by washing your hands. 

Lean your head to the side with the affected eye on the lower side. Flush with cold water for 15 minutes and establish whether the chemical is acidic or alkaline. Alkaline chemicals can cause severe burns. If they’re what got in your eyes, make sure you get medical assistance immediately.

Small Foreign Objects

These include dust, wooden splinters, metal fillings, and grains of sand. These can damage the cornea if you do not handle them effectively. Start by washing your hands and avoid rubbing your eyes. Blink to see if your tears will help get rid of it. Look at your eye in the mirror. Look up, down, and side to side to locate the object. 

Once you locate it, use saline drops to get rid of it. In the absence of saline drops, you can flush the eye with cool water. You can also use a cotton swab to capture it. If that fails, get medical attention.

Large Foreign Objects

Believe it or not, eye emergencies involving large foreign objects happen often. If you figure in one, stay calm and find a way to immobilize the foreign object. You can use a paper cup and place it over the eye. Tape the cup in place and get help to loosely bandage both eyes.

Trauma

Another set of common eye emergencies involves those that result from trauma. They include cuts, blows, or scratches. Most people will put on a cold compress and wait for the swelling and bleeding to reduce. But if the blood is pooling in one eye, cover both with a sterile dressing or bandage. Get help and seek medical attention right away.

Eyelid Cuts

Eyelid cuts may not seem severe. However, they can be. When you experience a cut on your eyelid, wash it and apply gentle pressure using a clean, dry cloth. Avoid pressing the eyeball. Cover the area with a sterile dressing. Take time and wait for the bleeding to stop. As you do this, place a cold compress on it. Get assistance and seek medical attention immediately.

The cut may seem superficial, but it may go through the lid to the eyeball. It is better to be safe and let a doctor assess the situation.

For more information on common eye emergencies, visit SeePort Optometry at our office in North Port, Florida. Call (941) 876-4400 to book an appointment today.