An eyelid laceration can be an excruciatingly painful injury, and if it is severe enough, it can require medical attention. In this short article we will talk about the causes of eyelid lacerations, what to do until medical attention can be obtained, what to expect when medical treatment is administered, possible complications arising from the injury, and how to care for the injury while it is recovery.
How Do Eyelid Lacerations Happen?
Although we all aim to be as careful as possible in the course of our lives, accidents take place! Much of us enjoy dangerous sports and activities that can put our eye safety at risk. Some of us make money at harmful professions, and even if protective glasses is being utilized, an eyelid laceration can occur. A current study of 98 cases of terrible eyelid laceration found that incident breaks down as follows:
- 43.5% in the street
- 29.3% at home
- 18.5% in the office
- 4.3% parks and other public locations of entertainment
- 3.3% public paths (e.g., pathways).
- 1.1% (one patient) at school.
Much of the patients surveyed were victims of assault, although 42 percent were struck in the face by things. Many victims were men (average age around 29), and the most common injury site was the right upper eyelid.
An extremely little eyelid laceration will require minimal treatment and will not need stitches. If you suffer a severe cut on your eyelid, nevertheless, you will have to look for medical attention immediately at a walk-in clinic or an emergency clinic.
The doctor who analyzes you will first wish to make certain that your eyeball has actually not been injured. This may be hard, particularly if the eyelid has started to swell or if you are in severe pain.
The doctor will look for the presence of foreign bodies along with look for any signs of a permeating wound to the eyeball. The doctor will also examine your cornea to make sure there are no scratches or foreign bodies.
In case the eyeball has been damaged there are some potential complications that have to be looked for by an eye doctor.
- Hyphema – blood accumulation in the front chamber of the eye.
- Conjunctival lacerations – a cut on the white part of the eye.
- Orbital fractures – damage to the bones of the eye socket (specifically when the mishap that triggered the injury included considerable blunt force). Muscle entrapment (restricted eye motion) can be a possible problem or sign of an orbital fracture.
- Terrible cataracts – cataracts as the outcome of a blunt trauma.
Possible Complications of an Eyelid Laceration
It is very important to understand the complex anatomy of the eyelid when an eyelid laceration has happened. The outermost layer of the eyelid is skin. Underneath the skin lie different muscles that help open and close the eyelid. The orbital septum, which is a fibrous sheet that lies beneath the orbicularis oculi muscle, acts as a barrier in between superficial preseptal and postseptal tissues of the eye.
Even if there has actually been no damage to the eye itself, an eyelid laceration can still have long-lasting implications for your vision. If the cut is deep enough it can harm the muscles in the eyelid and can perhaps make it hard to open or close the eyelid effectively. If this has actually taken place, surgery may be required in order to prevent irreversible ptosis (sagging of the eyelid).
Another common complication of a severe eyelid laceration is damage to the lacrimal gland or the lacrimal sac. The lacrimal gland lies above the eye towards the outdoors corner of the eyelid, and the lacrimal sac is located near the within corner of the eye (next to the nose).
These small, delicate organs are responsible for tear production and drainage, and damage to either of them can have severe repercussions. Likewise, damage to the lacrimal duct, which drains excess tears into the nose, can potentially lead to chronic epiphora (watering eyes) or an infection.
Lastly, even if there is no damage to the tear-producing glands or to the eyeball itself, scarring is still a concern.
Treatment and Recovery Times for Eyelid Lacerations
How your eyelid laceration is dealt with will depend on the nature and intensity of the injury. For the most parts sutures will be used if the laceration is deep enough, and surgery will be required if the eyeball or any underlying structures are harmed.
If the cut is not severe and sutures are unneeded, you will probably be sent home after the injury has actually been cleaned, sanitized, and the bleeding has stopped. Follow your doctor’s instructions regarding the dressing or plaster, and attempt to keep it from getting wet.
Avoid doing any heavy lifting for a couple of days, and take care during day-to-day activities. You must follow your doctor’s instructions for keeping the wound clean in order to prevent infection, and you should call your doctor instantly if you experience any of the following symptoms:.
- Increased pain or swelling.
- Release from the eye or from the wound.
- Fever greater than 100°F.
- Increased soreness of the skin surrounding the wound.