Suffering an eye injury is common in a car accident, yet it is not talked about often. Perhaps it is because having good vision is generally taken for granted, and people only seek help when their vision has gone poor. Even so, it is important to know that many people do not know their eyes are injured until well after the accident. When seeking help, be aware of the many symptoms of an eye injury so that you can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
How Do Eye Injuries Happen?
The eyes are sensitive, and an injury can range from minor to severe with temporary or permanent vision loss. A few things that can cause an eye injury in an accident include:
- Debris striking the eye
- Contact with steering wheel or dashboard
- Broken glass
- Airbag deployment
- Brain injury such as concussion that impacts vision
Common Symptoms of Eye Injuries
If you experience any of these symptoms following an accident, be sure to get checked out by a doctor right away:
- Blurred vision
- Shadows or floaters in vision
- Seeing flashes of light
- Sensitivity to light
- Headaches or nausea
- Eye pain
- Loss of vision
- Swelling or bruising around eye
- Black eye
Types of Eye Injuries
The outcome largely depends on how quickly you seek treatment and how else you manage your eye injury. Many causes and symptoms of eye injuries can lead to several different types of injuries, such as:
- Retinal detachment. The sheer impact of a car accident can cause the retina behind the eye to detach itself. This could turn into permanent vision loss if not treated immediately.
- Lacerations. This can result from broken or shattered glass, or any other debris striking, cutting, or scratching the eye, which could lead to permanent vision loss.
- Corneal abrasions. Another injury caused by flying debris, a corneal abrasion is the result of an object scratching the outer layer of the eye causing blurry or lost vision.
- Chemical burns. Chemicals and hazardous liquids can leak out and spray in the event of an accident, causing a chemical burn to the eyes.
- Orbital fracture. This can occur should the eye socket, or orbital bone, come into contact with the steering wheel, airbag, or dashboard during impact.
- Traumatic optic neuropathy. This occurs from an accident if damage to the optic nerve happens, either by impact or an indirect injury. Traumatic optic neuropathy is difficult to diagnose and treat and can result in loss of vision or a loss of color vision.
- Traumatic maculopathy. Normally caused by whiplash, traumatic maculopathy occurs when there is damage to the macula, located in the retina.
- Optic nerve damage. Located behind the eyes, damage to the brain or skull can cause injury to the optic nerves, which send the messages of what you see to the brain. Nerve damage leads to blurred vision or loss of vision.
- Hyphema. The condition known as hyphema occurs when direct impact injures the eye, causing blood to accumulate in the front layer of the eye between the cornea and iris.
Eye injuries are difficult to diagnose and can manifest themselves well after a car accident. It is very important to seek medical help following an accident, where a doctor or physician can help catch any problems that may arise and get you on the right track to recovery.
Chester County Car Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Help Clients Who Have Suffered Serious Eye Injuries from a Collision
There are all sorts of injuries that can occur from a car accident. Perhaps the least talked about yet can be very serious is an injury to the eye. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, the Media car accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. are available to help. Our legal team will answer all your questions and fight for your rights to receive fair and full compensation. Call us at 610-565-3701 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. Located in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, we serve clients throughout Delaware County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.