Eye wounds:
- Help the casualty to lie back and support their head.
- Tell them to keep both eyes still.
- Give them a dressing to hold over the eye and secure in place.
- Seek medical advice straight away.
What is an eye wound?
The eye can be bruised or cut by direct blows or by sharp fragments of metal, grit, and glass. All eye injuries are serious as they can affect the casualty’s vision. Even superficial grazes can lead to scarring or infection with the possibility of permanent deterioration of vision.
Signs and symptoms
- Pain in the eye or eyelids.
- A visible wound or a bloodshot appearance.
- Partial or total loss of vision.
- Discharge of blood or clear fluid from a wound.
What to do
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Help the casualty to lie on their back and support their head to keep it as still as possible.
- Tell them to keep both eyes still. Movement of the ‘good’ eye will cause the injured eye to move which may damage it further.
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Give the casualty a sterile dressing or clean, non-fluffy pad to hold over the affected eye. Gently secure the pad in place with a bandage.
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Seek medical advice straight away.
Eye injuries - foreign object in the eye
Get first aid advice from St John Ambulance about eye injuries, including symptoms and treatment for eye injuries and when you have something in your eye.
