Eye - Injury

When To Call

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

• You think your child has a serious injury
• Vision is blurred or lost in either eye
• Child reports double vision or unable to look upward
• Pupils unequal in size or abnormal shape
• Bloody or cloudy fluid behind the cornea (clear part)
• Object hit the eye at high speed (such as from a lawn mower, golf ball, fireworks)
• Sharp object hit the eye (such as metallic chip)
• Skin is split open or gaping and may need stitches
• Any cut on the eyelid or eyeball
• Constant tearing or blinking
• Child keeps the eye covered or refuses to open it
• Severe pain
• Age under 1 year old
• You think your child needs to be seen urgently

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If

• You think your child needs to be seen, but not urgently
• Bruises near the eye (such as a black eye or bleeding into the white of the eyeball) in child less than 5 years old

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If

• No tetanus shot in over 5 years for DIRTY cuts (over 10 years for CLEAN cuts)
• You have other questions or concerns

Parent Care at Home If

• Minor eye injury and you don't think your child needs to be seen

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information. For more information, click here.

Care Advice

Home Care Advice for Minor Eye Injuries

1. Superficial Cuts or Scrapes:
• Apply direct pressure for 10 minutes with a sterile gauze to stop any bleeding.
• Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes. (Protect the eye with a clean cloth.)
• Apply antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin (no prescription needed) to cuts. Cover large scrapes with Band-Aid. Change daily.
2. Swelling or Bruises with Intact Skin (including a Black Eye):
• Initially, apply a cold pack or ice bag wrapped in a wet cloth to the area for 20 minutes per hour to reduce the bleeding. Repeat for 4 consecutive hours.
• A black eye usually takes 1 to 2 days to develop.
• A flame-shaped bruise of the white of the eyeball is also common. (called a subconjunctival hemorrhage)
• After 48 hours, apply a warm wash cloth for 10 minutes 3 times per day to help reabsorb the blood.
3. Pain Medicine: Give acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or ibuprofen as necessary for pain relief.
4. Expected Course: Both of these injuries are harmless, last about 2 weeks and cannot be helped by any medicine.
5. Call Your Doctor If:
• Pain becomes severe
• Changes in vision
• Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms. 

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