Black Eye
Medical Author:
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEPJohn P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Black Eye OverviewA black eye is a relatively common result of injury to the face or the head, caused when blood and other fluids collect in the space around the eye; swelling and dark discoloration result-hence, the name "black eye." Most black eyes are relatively minor injuries. Many heal on their own in a few days; however, sometimes they signify a more serious injury. Despite the name, "black eye," the eye itself is not usually injured. The tissues around the eye may be significantly discolored and swollen without any injury to the eye itself. Think of it as a bruise around the eye. Like a bruise, as a black eye heals, the swelling around the eye decreases, and the bruise gradually fades away.
Viewer Comments & ReviewsBlack Eye - TreatmentThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What treatment has been effective for your black eye? |
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Black Eye
Hyphema (Bleeding in Eye) Overview
Blunt trauma to the eye can cause bleeding in the front (or anterior chamber) of the eye between the cornea and the iris. This bleeding into the anterior chamber of the eye is called a hyphema.
The anterior chamber of the eye contains a clear liquid fluid called aqueous humor. The aqueous humor is secreted by the ciliary processes in the posterior chamber of the eye. The aqueous humor passes through the pupil into the anterior chamber. The aqueous humor provides important nutrition to the inner structures of the eye.
Hyphema Causes
Trauma to the eye may initially cause a small hyphema. More severe bleeding may follow in three to five days. This trauma is usually blunt or closed trauma, and it may be the result of an athletic injury from a flying object, a stick, a ball, or another player's elbow. Other causes include industrial accidents, falls, and fights.
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Orbital Fracture, Floor »
Orbital floor fractures may result when a blunt object, which is of equal or greater diameter than the orbital aperture, strikes the eye.
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