Prevent eye injuries & save vision, says DR RAJAN CHUGH

Eye injury is a scourge, because more often than not, it is associated with serious outcomes as far as vision is concerned. With increase in competitive sports, more and more cases of eye injuries are being seen and reported. Injury to the eye and visual outcome depends upon the magnitude of impact, damage to vital tissues of the eye and early treatment and surgical intervention helps. Various types of eye injuries sustained in different sports can be one or combination of eye-lid bleeding and laceration, sub-conjunctival haemorrhage, angle recession, rupture of sclera/globe, traumatic glaucoma, cataract, dislocation of the human lens, ciliary body injury, vitreous haemorrhage, choroidal and retinal detachment, optic nerve injury and orbital fractures etc. Awareness of the fact that the eye can be damaged, cannot be taken casually. Wherever possible, protective eye-wear, which has come of age must be used, but not ordinary glass which breaks and does more damage. These devices can be used as one-piece eye guards or be fitted with face protectors and helmets. A highly impact resistant plastic, polycarbonate which does not break into shreds or splinters or allyl resins is good for such purposes. Sportspersons who wear glasses can use contact lenses or undergo Lasik laser. The use of ultra-violet glasses by players help in cutting down harmful effects of these rays.

In case of injury, immediate treatment should be done and the patient is advised to be in touch with the eye specialist for long-term serious side-affects of such injuries. A child can have permanent loss of vision in one eye because of ‘lazy eye phenomenon’ due to non-use. Perforating injury to one eye can cause decrease and damage vision in the fellow normal eye, a condition called ‘sympathetic ophthalmitis’ even years after the injury.

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