Eye Injuries Which Can Lead To Blindness

Blindness is the complete loss of vision, which can be temporary or permanent. Yes, an eye injury can lead to blindness if the injury to eye is severe and not treated in time. Blindness has various causes, one of which is an injury to the eye. Injury to any part of the eye, any area of the brain associated with vision or optic nerve can lead to blindness.

Eye injury is a major cause of blindness, whether it is a chemical injury or physical injury. Though not all the eye injuries completely damage the eye, the absence of appropriate treatment of an eye injury can lead to serious and permanent damage including blindness.

The injuries which may result from direct or indirect blow to the eye are known as concussion. Concussion injuries cause damage, which is reversible. Initially, in a concussion there may be only a minor injury to the cornea with some swelling and bleeding in the conjunctiva. The injury to the cornea in a concussion results in loss of vision, i.e. blindness.

If there are haemorrhages present in the structures within the eye, it might have serious consequences. The eye lens could get torn from its attachment, which could distort the images transmitted to the brain and upset the eye focus.

When there is a blow on the eye, the most important effect is the production of fluid and swelling in the retina at the back of the eye. This may be accompanied by a temporary blindness. If proper treatment is received, the vision may return to perfectly normal. Until the fluid in the injured eye is completely absorbed, there are chances of retinal tissue being separated from the rest of the eye, which may result in serious loss of vision.

Concussion injuries though may be visible as little or no injury, but the final consequences may be very severe.

Injuries which result in a laceration to the eyelid permit the entry of bacteria, virus, and other organisms into the eye or the bloodstream. Even with surgery or massive antibiotic dose, blindness can occur as a result of laceration eye injury.

After an external abrasion or entry of foreign body in the cornea, even before or after the removal, there is a constant risk of corneal ulcers. These corneal ulcers can penetrate further through the cornea causing intraocular infection leading to permanent blindness. The extent of corneal damage also depends on the nature of the foreign body. Some objects may contain harmful bacteria or virus, or even red hot metallic particle can cause blindness.

Siderosis is a condition where excessive iron gets accumulated in the body. If siderosis is present in the eye, the iron particle gets electrically charged and gets ionized into small charged particles, which get deposited in all the structures of the eye. This process leads to a destructive effect on the receptor cells of the retina. If Siderosis is not removed on time, it can lead to blindness.

If the foreign particle is copper, it becomes electrolytically dissociated and gets deposited in the cornea of the eye to give a golden Kayser-Fleischer ring. If deposited in the eye lens it gives sunflower cataract. Any type of foreign body also leads to infection, which can totally destroy the eye and cause blindness.

We all are aware, how much harm the chemical substances, such as lime, strong alkalis, acids and certain solvents can cause blindness. Chemicals completely scar the skin of face or the eyelids. Such corrosive materials if fall on the eye can immediately lead to blindness. So yes, chemical injuries do cause blindness.

The radiation of 280 nm affects the cornea the most, a part of it is absorbed and a part transmitted. About 5-12 hours after the radiation exposure to the eye, the eye damage occurs consisting of eye redness, swelling, watery eyes, and eye pain. The infrared radiation of 760 nm to 5000 nm passes through the cornea and affects the eye lens or the retina. Long term exposure to intense heat can lead to glass blower’s cataract. The lens becomes opaque in this condition and there can be a loss of vision or blindness from this particular eye injury.

Some radiations such as solar eclipse, within a small interval of less than a minute, can burn the retina leading to blindness. Exposure to any type of radiation can give rise to ocular changes, which may involve the conjunctiva, cornea, or the lens and lead to conjunctivitis, opacification, edema, or retinal injury.

Eye injury is not the only cause for blindness, but yes injury to the eye does stand in the pointers when we look for the causes of blindness. Therefore it is really important to protect the eye and consult a doctor if any symptom which, leads to discomfort to the eye is felt.

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