Medical Treatment

• Chemical exposure: Even if your eye was irrigated at home, the ophthalmologist will probably have your eye irrigated again. The chemical involved and severity of the injury will dictate the treatment. For severe exposures, such as acid or alkali, your pupil may be dilated with special eyedrops, and pain medicine may be prescribed.
  
  
• Subconjunctival hemorrhage: Treatment consists of reassurance, avoidance of rubbing the eye, and time.
  
  
• Corneal abrasions
  
  
  • Numbing eyedrops are often used to examine the eye. Although this removes the pain, they cannot be used at home to control pain. The anesthetic drops actually delay healing. Repeated use will damage the cornea. Dilating the pupil with drops and antibiotic ointments or drops is commonly done.
    
    
  • Depending on your ophthalmologist, an eyepatch may be used. Some ophthalmologists believe that the patch provides symptomatic relief and speeds healing. Others believe that the increased risk of infection with a patch, particularly in people who wear contact lenses, outweighs the potential benefits.
    
    
• Traumatic iritis: Eyedrops are used to dilate the pupil. Steroid eyedrops may be helpful to decrease inflammation.
  
  
• Hyphema: People with significant hyphemas may be hospitalized and placed on bedrest with their head elevated. A protective metal shield may be placed over the eye, and the pupil is dilated with drops. People who will follow the ophthalmologist's instructions with small hyphemas may be managed at home.
  
  
• Orbital blowout fractures: Ice and elevation of the head for 48 hours are recommended to reduce swelling. You are advised not to blow your nose. Some ophthalmologists use nasal decongestants and oral antibiotics for 1-2 weeks. If any surgical repair is needed, it is usually done 1-2 weeks later when the swelling has gone down.
  
  
• Lacerations: Depending on the size and location of the laceration, suturing (stitches) may be necessary. If the cut is in a noncritical location, the laceration may be left to heal on its own. Lacerations to the eyeball often require sutures and more extensive surgery.