Eye Injuries at Home, Work and Sport: What to Do First

Eye injuries can happen quickly, whether from gardening, DIY work, sport, chemicals, dust, tools or accidents at home. Knowing what to do in the first few minutes can make a real difference.

If something hits the eye, avoid rubbing it. Rubbing may worsen a scratch or push a foreign body deeper into the surface. If there is severe pain, reduced vision, bleeding, a cut, or something stuck in the eye, cover the eye gently and seek urgent medical care. Do not try to remove an embedded object yourself.

Types of Eye Injury We See Most Often

Blunt trauma — from a ball, a fist, an airbag or a fall — can bruise the eye and surrounding tissue and, in more significant cases, cause bleeding inside the eye or a fracture of the delicate bones of the eye socket. Penetrating or perforating injuries, caused by sharp objects or high-speed projectiles, are always an emergency. Chemical injuries occur when a substance splashes into the eye; alkali chemicals, such as those found in some cleaning products and cement, tend to penetrate tissue more readily and cause deeper damage than acidic substances, though both require immediate rinsing. Foreign bodies — metal fragments, wood splinters, glass or grit — and UV or flash burns from welding, sunbeds or prolonged snow glare round out the injuries seen most frequently.

Chemical Injuries: Why Every Second Counts

Rinsing should begin immediately with whatever clean water is available — there is no need to identify the exact chemical or check its pH before starting. Continue rinsing for several minutes, ideally holding the eyelids open, and keep going even while arranging transport to urgent care. If contact lenses can be removed quickly without delaying rinsing, do so; if not, do not waste time trying. The single most important factor in limiting damage from a chemical injury is how quickly and thoroughly the eye is rinsed, not which specific first aid product is used.

When to Go Straight to an Emergency Department

A penetrating injury, a chemical splash, sudden significant vision loss, visible blood inside the front of the eye, or a suspected fracture around the eye socket all warrant going directly to an emergency department rather than waiting for rooms to open. Less severe injuries — mild redness, minor foreign body sensation without significant pain or vision change — can often be safely assessed during practice hours, but if there is ever genuine doubt, it is safer to be seen urgently than to wait.

Choosing the Right Protective Eyewear

Most severe occupational and sporting eye injuries are genuinely preventable. Impact-rated safety glasses are appropriate for drilling, grinding, hammering and general DIY; wrap-around sports eyewear reduces risk in contact sports and racquet sports; and properly rated welding shields or UV-protective eyewear are essential for welding, and outdoor activities involving prolonged glare such as snow sport or long stretches on the water.