So your child got punched in the eye
TRAUMA to the eyes and teeth create fear in most parents when their children are involved in extracurricular activities or regular childhood roughhousing. A black, swollen eye can result from even mild trauma, such as two children butting heads, and if this occurs, parents should know what steps to take to promote proper healing.
According to general practitioner Dr Dayton Campbell, it is common for children to get hit in the eyes. He said when this happens, the child’s eye should be examined to assess the severity of the damage, even if you are convinced that it’s just a little bump.
“Prevention is always better than cure,” he said. “The eyes are very delicate and any impact, regardless of the magnitude, can result in serious damage being done.”
He advised parents to check for bleeding and redness and ask the child whether he is able to see.
“Not all eye injuries can be seen by a surface examination by the parent,” Dr Campbell said, in explaining the need for the child to see a medical practitioner.
Meanwhile, you can assist your child by taking the following steps.
1. Ask your child to refrain from rubbing the eyes, especially if it feels as though something is inside, to prevent scratching or scraping the cornea.
2. When assessing the eye, ensure that you have washed your hands thoroughly.
3. Rinse the eye carefully without putting pressure on it and cover it with clean gauze.
3. Use a clean cloth to press on any area that is bleeding. This should reduce the bleeding.
4. In the event that the doctor says that the eye was not damaged, use ice packs on the eye. Note, however, that these are only effective in the first 48 hours.
5. Eye injuries can be very painful especially for children, so use the right dose of painkillers to ease their pain.
Dr Campbell warned parents that if left untreated, the ill effects could be permanent.
“When eye injuries are not given the attention they require, they can cause further troubles for children. Unattended eye injuries can cause loss of sight — this could be mild, or even complete blindness,” Dr Campbell said.
