You probably know what a black eye is and maybe some of you may already experienced it. I am quite familiar with black eye as I suffered it a couple of times when I was in high school playing basketball and shotokan, a type of karate sports.
So what is black eye? Black Eye is a result of an injury or a heavy blow to the eye, face or head. It is caused by an accumulation of blood and other fluids around the eye. You often see cases of this condition in contact sports events such as mixed martial arts, kickboxing and boxing.
image credit: about.com
Most black eye cases are minor injuries and will go away within a few days. This includes discolored and swollen tissues around the eye without any injuries to the eye itself. But there are other cases like severe injuries to the head, may cause an underlying eye damage or even serious conditions.
The skin around the eye is swollen, sometimes covering the entire eye. The affected skin is filled with fluids and fats which are accumulated due to the injury. Swelling of the facial skin is the first sign of black eye, especially if the injured part is the face, not the eye. Depending on location of the blow, a single or both eyes could well be affected.
As the condition heals, the swelling of the skin and the redness of the eye decreases and the bruise fades away slowly until it turns back into its normal form.
Causes of black eye
Aside from an injury and a hard blow to the head, there are other causes of black eye that are unknown to many people. A blow to the nose can also cause black eye as the swelling from the nasal injury releases fluid to accumulate in the eyelids area. Below are other causes of black eye.
face surgery (facelifts, jaw surgery, nose surgery, etc)
head injuries (basilar skull fracture)
cellulitis
angioedema (swelling around the eyes)
dental infections
insect bites
allergic reactions
Treatments for black eye
Minor black eye injuries go away naturally. But there are home remedies that you can do to fasten the healing process and decrease the swelling and pain. One common remedy is the application of ice to the affected area. Ice helps to effectively decrease the swelling and the discoloration of black eye. If you want conventional medical treatment, physicians will also recommend the application of ice and an immediate eye check up to look for nerve damage. Medications, rest and a mask to protect the eye and face.
Black eye complications
Black eye usually leads to serious eye diseases if not treated and diagnosed properly. Some of the complications includes hyphema, glaucoma, traumatic uveitis, retinal detachment, blurred vision and orbital floor fracture.
Symptoms of blurred vision, floating spots in the eyes, frequent dizziness and headache could mean trouble. Once these signs are present, consult an eye specialist immediately for proper treatment. Never ignore these signs as your eye vision is at stake.
Black eye prevention
Black eye can be prevented by simply avoiding activities that could endanger your head for different types of injuries. Consider the following tips:
wear eye and head protection equipments such as goggles, facial masks and head caps. Wear it at work or in any types of events such as sports.
check your home for possible injury prone areas such as your ceiling and stairs.
use and wear your seat belts while driving.
All these information can help you on the treatment and prevention of black eye. Remember that black eye is considered minor disease but prevention is still the best way to avoid any eye complications.
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