Burning eyes: Dangerous injury

This is an automatically translated article.

Eye burns is a dangerous problem caused by trauma to the eye area causing severe burns. The ability to recover when infected will also be lower if you are subjective. Most patients, when detecting corneal burns, quickly seek medical treatment at a reputable medical facility, which will minimize complications as well as increase the possibility of recovery.

1. What is corneal burn?

Eye burn is a dangerous injury that needs attention. In ophthalmology, this is considered a serious symptom. When suffering from this condition, most patients develop burns in both eyes. The likelihood of treatment and recovery will depend on when the patient is diagnosed.
Currently, according to medical statistics, it is difficult for patients with corneal burns to fully recover their vision after being treated. Therefore, doctors always emphasize asking patients to pay more attention to their own health. Preventing disease early to prevent it from appearing is the best solution you can.
According to the statistics of eye injuries in some hospitals, the disease does not happen by chance. Having a large number of objects in common is often quite easy to burn the eyes. 85% of all cases detected were in men. In which, 49% of eye burns are of working age. Students are also at risk. And more notably, 78% of the patients come from rural areas.

2. The main cause of corneal burns

According to medical organizations, there are currently 4 main causes of corneal burns. The following are the causes listed by the health organization to help us catch and prevent them early.
Chemical eye burns : Chemicals harmful to health are biological weapons. During the war, many countries used biological weapons to inflict heavy destruction on their opponents. In addition, everyday items such as antiseptic alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, red alcohol ... if not careful will also cause eye burns. Heat-related eye burns: Extreme heat like the sun's heat will cause our eyes to dry out. In addition, the temperature can be increased by many fuels and chemicals. These problems will all affect the eyes and cause eye diseases if long-term exposure Radioactive substances or explosives with high damage: Leaks or explosive radioactive substances are not far away. strange. However, the concern here is that their harmful effects will prolong the ingrained consequences of the DNA code. According to statistics, when an incident of radioactive material explodes, it will lead to glare, retinal burns and many other dangerous diseases that can be transmitted to future generations... Other causes: Types of rays Like lasers, X-rays are used, but they always have a lot of potential risks. In fact, analyzes have shown that up to 90% of eye burns are caused by heat. There are two common types of thermal burns in the eyes. One is mild eyeball damage caused by heat that causes the eyelids to react. The other case is due to close contact with heat that causes eye burns to the cornea and serious damage.
When eye burns due to temperature, medical will divide into 3 different degrees of burns. Each grade was evaluated in aggregate from many patients with similar lesions. Those three levels are the temperature at which the burn object affects the eye, the time the eye is exposed to a high heat source, and the amount of tissue affected by the heat causing a large or small burn.
Eye burns from chemical exposure have the lowest number of cases. Because they are warned and prevented, most appear only in unintended accidents. Although rare, chemicals always cause severe sequelae. According to leading experts, chemical eye burns are difficult to treat.
Harmful levels of chemicals are unpredictable. Furthermore, they affect directly and deeply within the eyeball. As a result, the physical cells are impaired when acquired.

3. When you have a corneal burn, you should take some of the following steps to give first aid

First aid when burning eyes can also limit some sequelae later. However, if you do not understand the cause, it can make the situation worse. The first is to wash the eyes, which is simple, but makes most patients worse.
The main problem is that the patient has no information and knowledge about this method. Eyewash also needs to be chosen, not arbitrarily. Usually when giving first aid, doctors will recommend physiological serum or purified water. Natural water often contains impurities, so it is not recommended to use it. However, if clean water is not available, natural water can be used and quickly taken to the emergency room.
Foreign water removes dirt to help clean eyes and can also cool down. For heat burn situations this is the right thing to do. At the same time, water is also a solution to neutralize chemicals to reduce concentration. Should wash eyes with water will minimize sequelae.
When washing your eyes, prepare a basin of water and then immerse your face in it. Try to blink a lot to let the chemical come into contact with the water. Or you can wash directly at the faucet. Choose the way that you find most suitable and convenient to clean your eyes. In 10-15 minutes you need to have a few liters of water to change and wash continuously. If it lasts longer, it will be more effective.
Note when washing eyes, do not use any solution that is declared capable of neutralizing chemicals. Chemically they are neutral acids and bases, but not to the eye. If the neutralizer causes a reaction, the burning problem can be even worse and more worrisome.
Washing eyes immediately after an accident will help reduce external damage. For deep eye burns, it will not be effective. Therefore, this is a first aid measure and maintains the function of cells in the eyeball to promptly take the patient to the hospital.
Due to the process of moving dust and smoke can enter the eyes, so the eyes need to be covered and protected. In the case of a lime burn, you need to quickly remove the lime from the eye first. If you do not remove and wash your eyes, it will make the condition worse.
At the hospital, the doctor will have suitable cleaning solutions to remove the maximum amount of chemicals in the eyes. If burns are caused by chemicals, you should bring a container for your doctor to easily check and have the best treatment.

4. Complications of corneal burns

When the eye burns the cornea, depending on the extent, many complications occur.
Glaucoma: This is a complication caused by corneal surgery. However, it is possible to use early processing laser wavelength to limit. Cataract: The doctor will remove the outer lens and cover it and use a suitable artificial lens. Corneal perforation: This is a dangerous complication, but the cornea can be sutured. Then be sure to use safety glasses to protect your eyes. During the recovery period, if eye function declines, intraocular surgery can be considered. Uveitis: In this situation, your doctor may order corticosteroids along with atropine.

5. Directions for treatment of eye burns

Patients after first aid will be tested for pH. The doctor will conduct treatment to bring the pH in the eye to neutral. If the lesion has gone deep into the eyeball, the patient needs to wash the eye continuously while cleaning the lacrimal gland to fight inflammation.
The reactions in the eye will lead to an increase in the amount of enzymes that damage the amount of collagen that causes corneal wrinkles. Anti-inflammatory drugs for the first 10 days will help improve this condition and reduce pain for the patient.
After 1-3 weeks, the enzyme that causes proteolysis should be inhibited promptly. If not prevented, they will grow and lead to corneal necrosis. In addition, collagen enzyme inhibitors are used to fight infections.
After burning your eyes, you will have a problem opening and closing your eyes, which medicine calls the phenomenon of sticky eyelids. After 2-3 days of burning the eye, the doctor will consider giving the patient an antibiotic ointment to prevent sticking to the eyelids. In the case of eye burns at a special level, the eyelids will not be treated because it can increase the source of nutrients for the eyes.
Injecting serum as indicated or supplementing with vitamins A, B, C according to instructions will increase the ability to provide nutrition to the eyes. At the same time, you should eat a lot of protein and drink a lot of water to eliminate toxins gradually.
Eye surgery is only applied when the patient has severe burns. During treatment, doctors can combine pain relievers with psychotherapy to help patients be more optimistic.
Hard to come up with the fastest way to cure eye burns. However, you need to quickly notify the doctor and take first aid steps to facilitate treatment. Try to protect yourself from eye damage because eye disease is difficult to ensure no sequelae and the treatment success rate is high.
To examine and treat eye diseases, you can go to the Eye specialist - Vinmec International General Hospital. The department has a comprehensive vision and eye health care function for children, adults and the elderly including refractive error testing, general examination, diagnostic ultrasound, laser treatment and surgery. In addition, ophthalmology also has the task of coordinating with other clinical departments in the treatment of pathological complications and eye injuries caused by accidents.
Why should you choose to examine and treat eye diseases at Vinmec International General Hospital?
Simple and quick procedure. Enthusiastic advice and support, reasonable and convenient examination process. Comprehensive facilities, including a system of clinics and consultations, blood collection room, dining room, waiting area for customers... The medical staff has high professional qualifications, style. Professional, caring way of working.

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