Eyes are important

1. Eye Injuries
www.buildsafe.co.za

2. WELCOME

3. Anatomy of the Eye:

4. Parts of the Eye:
 Conjunctiva:
Thin membrane covering the eye
 Sclera:
The whites of the eye
 Cornea:
The fixed focus lens
 Aqueous Lens:
The fluid that fills a small chamber
behind the cornea
 The Iris:
The coloured part of the eye
 The Pupil:
The hole inside the iris ring

5. Parts of the Eye:
 The Vitreous Humour:
Thick jelly like fluid that fills the
eyeball and keeps it firm
 Retina:
The curved back layer of the eye
covered in light sensitive cells ( roots
& cones) that can see shapes,
colours & patterns
 Optic Nerve:
Sends info from the retina to the
brain.

6. History:
Casualty Sheet:
 Mechanism of injury – How did it happen, safety glasses,
time frame, welding?
 Were they wearing contacts?
 Was it a projectile object?
 Was force involved?
 Was the pt working with metal or in an environment where
there may be metal debris?

7. Eye Injuries:
o Flying Particles
o Foreign Bodies
o Welding flashes
o Chemicals
o Sharp tools or objects
o Blunt tools or objects

8. Foreign Body:
 Depending on what it is and how the injury happened, a FB
may pierce the eye and cause serious injury or may simply
go away with nil long term problems.
Symptoms Include:
o Sharp pain in your eye – followed by burning, irritation tearing and redness
o Feeling that something is moving around the eye when it is closed
o Scratching sensation over your eye when blinking
o Blurred vision or loss of vision in the affected eye
o Bleeding into the white part of the eye OR the coloured area – this indicates a
significant injury.
o Can’t stand the light

9. Foreign Body Eye:
Examine the eye:
 Ask the pt where they feel the
irritation or scratching is?
 Irrigate with normal saline
 Invert the upper eyelid with
cotton bud - How?
 If visible with the naked eye –
can remove with wet cotton
bud-gently swipe.

10. Foreign Body:
o Rubbing may scratch or push the FB in further (Corneal
abrasion)
o Eye wash in some cases may be enough
o FB will often hide behind the upper eyelid
o Will scratch if not removed
o URGENT : Vision can be effected
o Note with metal rings can occur if not removed

11. Foreign Body:

12. Rust Ring to Eye:

13. Treatment:
 Eye wash
 Look at the pupil – are they equal
 Always ask pt if improvement post eye wash
 Always ask the pt to return 2 hours post wash - either to
you or Medical centre
 A FB Especially metal can cause blindness if not treated
(rust rings start within 3 hours)
 Corneal Abrasions have good outcome (Heal in 48hrs) if
treated early with AB eye ointment

14. Treatment:
 Despite irrigating the eye. There
may be FB that cannot be seen
with the naked eye and needs
to be examined closer – contact
the OHN
 OHN -If needed during working
Hours an Ophthalmologist App
can be organised.

15. Treatment:

16. Chemical Burns:
 Wash immediately with copious amounts of water
 Get MSDS
 Treatment essential OHN
 Usually treated 2-3L N/Saline.
 Sent off for further treatment
 Lead to infection, scarring, loss of sight

17. Penetrating Eye Injuries:
o Sharp or blunt injuries
o Medical Emergency
o Potentially cause blindness
o Preventable
o Do not use eye patch – If Necessary use a paper cup cut
on angle (do not put any pressure on the eye)
o Do not removed a penetrating object

18. Prolapsed Iris:

19. Conjunctivitis:
o Infection Eye
o General Health Issue
o Watery
o Redness
o Itchy
o Irritation
o Discharge
o Treatment – AB Ointment.

20. Lime Burns:

21. Flash Burns:
o Welding without safety shield or standing close to someone
welding
o Usually occurs 6-12 hours after event
o Inflammation of the cornea (the clear tissue that covers the
front of the eye)
o Like sunburn in the eye
o Usually heals in 1 – 2 days without leaving a scar
o If not treated can lead to infection

22. Symptoms:
o Pain mild or severe
o Bloodshot eyes
o Light sensitivity
o Watery eyes
o Blurred vision
o The feeling of having something in your eye

23. Treatment:
 Examination of the eye – stain eye
 Phenylepherine drops ( FB must be excluded prior to use)
 May require panadiene forte
 Antibiotics
 Review by ophthalmologist

25. If you have any questions,
please ask your supervisor

26. Eye Injuries
www.buildsafe.co.za