Eye Injury in Franklin, TN

At Family Vision Care, we care about your vision, as well as protecting you from eye injuries. Eye safety is often overlooked until it's too late; however, it can be an easy way to prevent injury and protect yourself. Basic safety precautions can protect you or your family member from a lifetime of vision problems. We recommend you to practice safety to protect your eyes, as well as call our office as soon as you experience an injury to the eye. While this is not an exhaustive list, common eye injuries we treat include:

• Eye laceration: Simply put, this is a scratch or cut to the eye. While they may not always need emergency care, they may depend on the severity of the injury.
• Scratched eye: Scratched eye is also known as a corneal abrasion and is often the result of getting poked in the eye or accidentally rubbing the eye with something, like dust or sand.
• Caustic foreign substance: This is when something other than water gets into your eye. If anything gets splashed into your eye, you'll want to run your eyes under barely warm tap water for 15 minutes, and seek immediate medical help if there is no improvement.
• Black eyes: These are common eye injuries and often can be treated with an ice pack to reduce swelling.

If you or a family member are in need of help with an eye injury, we encourage you to contact our Franklin, TN office as soon as possible.

There are a number of potential causes at fault for eye injuries. Commonly, sports injuries or professions that put your eyes around projectiles can cause a variety of injuries. In addition, exposure to laser or harsh lights might damage your eyes. Symptoms that can accompany eye injuries include, but may not be limited to:

• Changes in vision
• Light flashes
• Blurriness or inability to focus
• Intense headaches or migraines
• Burning or stinging sensation in the eye
• Temporary vision loss

If you suspect that you may have an eye injury, contact Family Vision Care to set up an appointment as quickly as possible.

There are a number of different ways to treat eye injuries. Typically, treatment will depend on the type of injury, as well as the severity of the injury. For some injuries, we may be able to walk you through how to address them at home; for others, however, you'll need to seek out medical attention. Drs. Daxx Dunn, Marla Weldon, and Kelly Short take the eye injuries of our Greater Nashville and surrounding area patients very seriously, and we are dedicated to helping each and every one of our patients with their eye injuries, mild or severe.

Can an eye injury heal on its own?

Yes, it can. Minor scratches or abrasions of the cornea can heal on their own, usually in about three days or longer for more severe abrasions.

What are the symptoms of an eye injury?

• Difficulty seeing or blurry vision
• Continuous, ongoing pain
• Irritation
• Tearing
• Sensitivity to light and/or touch
• Eye is bulging from the socket
• Pupil has a large or unusual shape or size
• Blood in the whites of the eyes
• A foreign object lodged in the eye
• Torn or cut eyelid
• Difficulty moving one or both eyes

When should I go to the doctor for an eye injury?

If the eye pain is persistent, you have a foreign object stuck in your eye that can’t be washed out, have impaired vision, are seeing bright spots or flashing lights, have sensitivity to light, or redness in the eye, you should seek medical attention.

How can I treat minor eye injuries at home?

If the symptoms of your eye injury do not improve or worsen, you should schedule an eye examination at Family Vision Care. However, for minor eye injuries, there are a few ways to treat them at home, including:

• Avoiding rubbing the eye
• Flushing with water
• Ice packs with light pressure to reduce pain and swelling
• Eye drops
• Wearing an eye patch to allow your eye time to rest and heal (typically provided by your doctor)

What are the common risks for eye injuries?

The most common risks for eye injuries include playing contact sports and working jobs in construction or other work that uses power tools, chemicals, lasers, and irritants. However, eye injuries can occur anywhere at anytime, such as while doing yard work, enjoying outdoor activities, house cleaning, or working in the garage. That's why it is always recommended to wear eye protection when engaging in activities that could pose a potential risk of eye injury.

If you or a loved one have suffered an eye injury, our team of optometrists at Family Vision Care can help you diagnose and treat your issue. When you experience an eye injury, it's very important to seek the advice of a medical professional right away because if left untreated, it could cause a lifetime of damage. For more information or if you have any questions about an eye injury, contact our team in Franklin, TN today.