Anatomy
The eyes are protected by the eyelids. From the back of each eye, an optic nerve runs to the brain. The back of the brain contains the visual centre.
Cause
1/4 of all eye injuries are caused by sports (mainly racket sports where the ball hits the eye). Blunt blows to the head can result in damage to the eye membranes (cornea, iris, retina and lens). Sharp lesions can cut the eye (with a high risk of permanent vision damage) and with a foreign body inside the eye. Eye injuries can be combined with fractures of the bones in the eye socket (orbit).
Symptoms
Vision problems such as double vision, blurred vision, loss of part of the visual field, new eye spots, pain, bleeding in the outer part of the eyeball (both in the white (conjunctiva) and in the anterior chamber at the pupil (hyphaema)), change in the shape of the pupil and burning and gritty sensation in the eye. (Ohana O, Alabiad Ca, 2021) and Ashraf G, et al. 2022).
Examination
In all cases in which the visual symptoms do not slowly subside, a (eye) doctor should be consulted. For more severe symptoms (e.g. haemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the eye (hyphaema), loss of part of the visual field), an emergency (hospital) examination should be performed.
Treatment
Treatment usually consists of relief. Some more severe eye injuries may require medical or surgical treatment.
Prevention
It is estimated that 90% of all sports-related eye injuries can be prevented with appropriate eye protection (helmet and goggles). Children and adults who only have vision in one eye are advised against participating in boxing, karate, fencing and squash, where there is an increased risk of eye injury.
Goalkeepers in particular have been harassed by spectators shining powerful lasers into their eyes. This can result in a burn to the retina with permanent damage to vision (blindness), which cannot be treated. Therefore, do not look towards laser light (Torp-Pedersen T, et al. 2018).
