Eye Injury And Its Treatment: Q And A With Dr. Faisal Iqbal

Eye injury can be just a strain in the eye or a serious enough to damage your vision. Physical or chemical injury to the eye can cause serious damage to the vision if not treated on time. 

In this video, Dr. Faisal Iqbal, an experienced Eye Specialist in Lahore, discusses the most common eye injuries and how to manage them timely. He is an FCPS qualified eye specialist and provides a range of eye-related services.

Q.1. What qualifies as an eye injury?

Well, anything that is a direct blow to the eye can result in an eye injury. Eye injury can result in a number of ways. The most common eye injuries are caused by infections or injuries resulting from wearing contacts. 

Moreover, foreign flying particles, such as metals, can also penetrate the eye to cause an injury. Eye injuries may also be related to your occupation. If you work in services such as painting or welding, foreign particles are more likely to prick your eyes.

Lastly, eye injuries may also be caused by topical application of cosmetic products that contain eye irritants and toxins.

Q.2. What first aid one should take in case of an eye-injury?

Let’s see, If something pierces your eyes, the first thing that you should do is to avoid rubbing your eyes.

The next step you can take is to wash your eyes with clean, cool water. Whether you have a particle or a chemical that is irritating your eyes, the rule is to wash, wash and wash. Use at least 1 litre of water to wash the chemical from your eyes.

This is a good self-help step you can take before coming in to see your doctor. It obviously prevents further damage to the eye.

Eye Injury And Its Treatment: Q And A With Dr. Faisal Iqbal

Q.3. Is self-medication safe for an eye injury?

If you feel that any object or small particle has entered your eyes causing redness, consult your doctor immediately. Don’t self-medicate by buying over-the-counter eye drops from the pharmacy.

The reason I stress seeing an eye specialist, in this case, is because eye injuries may not be visible to the human eye. They differ in their range and only an eye specialist with their equipment can make a comprehensive assessment of your eye injury.

Some eye injuries may damage your retina or optic nerve and require the immediate assistance of an eye-specialist.

Q.4. What are the treatment options for an eye injury?

Since eye injuries fall into many ranges, their treatments vary too. Treatments for eye injuries can vary from a good night’s sleep to even surgery. If the injury is quite minor and no major damage has been done, we advise the patient to rest it off. In other cases, we might ask you to use ointments, creams or take oral tablets.

And, ofcourse, if there is an extensive injury, then we have to perform surgery.

Q.5. How does one take care of eyes post-operation?

As the old adage goes, “A stitch in time saves nine”! If you refer to a doctor immediately following an eye injury, it is the best route to take. 

But, unfortunately, if you have had to go through surgery, then we advise the patients to wear specially made polycarbonate glasses.

Lastly, I also believe that “prevention is better than cure”. If you are in an occupation where you are prone to an eye injury, I would urge you to consider wearing protective eyewear.

You can watch the full interview to learn more about how can manage eye injuries. Moreover, if you have any eye injuries, contact an eye specialist immediately.

You can book an appointment with a top eye specialist through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT professional for your concerns.