Eye injuries can be divided according to the factor causing them, that is:

• Mechanical damage

The eyeball and eyelid can be subjected to mechanical damage by means of solids, i.e. metal filings, hard and sharp chips and dust (metals, wood, plastic masses, sand and others). Work in which debris is formed is, m.in machining materials with pneumatic or electric tools, lathes, grinders, drills, etc.

• Thermal damage

Thermal trauma is a burn. It is an impairment of the skin and its deeper layers due to the action of heat and sunlight. During operation, you can suffer burns from a flame or a hot body, that is, metal in a hot or liquid state, a hot liquid. Particularly vulnerable are people who are engaged in metal casting in foundries when operating industrial furnaces, apparatus with hot steam or liquid.

• Chemical damage

Chemical damage occurs when chemical substances come into contact, i.e. acids (hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid), bases (ammonia, sodium hydroxide) and other corrosive and toxic substances in solid, liquid or gaseous form. Corrosive toxic substances are very dangerous because, in addition to burns, they can enter the bloodstream. How extensive the burn will be depends on the chemical and its properties, concentration and contact with tissues. When the eye comes into contact with an inorganic acid (e.g. hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid), the eyeball can be completely damaged, while organic acids (e.g. acetic acid) act only on the surface. Alkalis are more dangerous than acids and can cause necrosis.

• Damage by light rays

They are caused by visible and invisible light rays (ultraviolet and infrared). They can be caused by the glare of the sun (e.g. in the mountains, on snow), white heat generated e.g. during welding and an electric arc (when arc welding or when operating quartz llamas).

Mechanical damage causes noticeable symptoms such as tearing, redness, burning and deterioration of vision. With more serious injuries (penetrating or perforating wounds), hemorrhage may occur.

In the case of mechanical injuries, we can distinguish two types of first aid: independent and medical. When a foreign body is under the eyelid and it is not stuck in the eyeball, you can try to remove it yourself. It is enough to tilt the eyelid and use sterile gauze. However, to get rid of the splinter from under the upper eyelid, close the eye and try to move the body with your finger towards its border, or rinse with water / saline. However, when the body is stuck in the eyeball, it should be treated with a sterile dressing and go to the doctor. You should not remove the foreign body yourself, as you can further damage the organ of vision.

Contact with dangerous chemicals, mainly acids and bases, leads to burns of the organ of vision. Visible symptoms are redness and tearing of the eye. In this case, rinse the eye as soon as possible with water or a special eye rinse. This is best done for about 20 – 25 minutes, lying on your side, rinsing from the inner corner to the outside. Next, we apply a sterile dressing to the eye and go to the doctor as soon as possible.

In the case of thermal burns and those caused by light rays, the symptoms are photophobia and tearing. First aid for burns is to cool the eye as quickly as possible by rinsing with cold water or using a cooling compress. It is also very important to visit a doctor, as serious complications can occur.

Source: https://www.bhp-gabi.pl/a123,pierwsza-pomoc-przedmedyczna-przy-urazach-oczu.html

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