Ambulance 912HAP 9252
Back to all symptoms and conditions
General health information

A blow to the eye

A blow to the eye can cause bruising, but also damage to the cornea, the eye chamber, the eye socket or the retina. Do not press on the eye or try to examine it yourself by pushing. Blood in front of the iris, reduced vision, double vision, flashes of light, new black spots, severe pain or nausea after an eye injury need prompt medical assessment. If the injury involves chemical exposure rather than a blunt impact, rinse immediately and seek prompt help afterwards too.

In this article
Choose which sections to read

  • A blow to the eye may turn out to be minor, but it can also cause hidden damage.
  • Never press on the eye or feel or push it to check how serious the injury is.
  • A black eye is visible, but damage can also be deeper, for example in the cornea, front chamber of the eye, retina or eye socket.
  • Reduced vision, blood in the eye, flashes of light, new floating black spots and double vision are warning signs.
  • If a chemical is in the eye, the first step is different: rinse immediately with plenty of clean water.
  • For urgent GP care outside office hours, call HAP 9252. Call Ambulance 912 only for an immediate threat to life.

Your response

Two anonymous questions

Did you find what you were looking for?

Do you now have a clearer idea of your next step?

Share article

Email

Do you need a healthcare provider after reading?

Search by type of care, organisation, name or district.

Further reading

Browse A–Z
F
Foreign body in the eyeA loose speck of dust can often be removed by blinking and plenty of clean water, but a splinter can scratch the cornea, become embedded or penetrate the eyeball at high speed. Do not rub, use tweezers or press on the eye. Reduced vision, severe pain, sensitivity to light, a distorted pupil, a visibly embedded object or a metal-on-metal injury requires immediate ophthalmic assessment.
P
Posterior vitreous detachmentIn vitreous detachment, the gel inside the eye pulls away from the retina as part of ageing. This is often a normal process, but a retinal tear may occur as it separates. New flashes of light, a sudden increase in moving spots or a dark curtain therefore need assessment by an ophthalmologist or urgent eye service the same day. Only an eye examination with dilated pupils can reliably rule out a retinal tear.
W
Watery eyesWatery eyes occur when the eye produces extra tears or tears do not drain properly through the tear passages to the nose. Irritation or a dry eye surface is often the cause; sometimes the tear drainage system is blocked. Pain, light sensitivity or reduced vision needs prompt assessment.