Eye Trauma

Eye trauma refers to any injury to the eye. It is an important cause of loss of vision in children. Prevent Blindness America states that toys and playground equipment cause more than 11,000 injuries to children's eyes each year.

Any sport that involves a small, high-speed projectile is considered high risk and should not be performed without eye protection. High risk sports include:

• hockey
• archery
• darts
• BB guns
• racquetball
• badminton

Other common causes of trauma to the eye include the following:

• chemicals
• toys
• fingernails

Any trauma to the eye of your child should be considered a medical emergency, and immediate medical care is necessary. At times, a younger child with an injury to the eye may need to be examined in the operating room under general anesthesia. Ophthalmologists (eye surgeons) are usually involved in the care of children with eye trauma.

There are many different types of eye trauma that require clinical care by a physician or other healthcare professional. Listed in the directory below are some, for which we have provided a brief overview.

If you cannot find the information in which you are interested, please visit the Eye Care Online Resources page in this Web site for an Internet/World Wide Web address that may contain additional information on that topic.

• Blood in the Eye (Hyphema)

• Bruising or Black Eye (Ecchymosis)

• Chemical Burns of the Eye

• Corneal Abrasions

• Eyelid Lacerations

• Foreign Bodies in the Eye

• Fractures of the Orbit

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