Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Public Health; Eye Health / Blindness
Article Date: 20 Aug 2012 - 12:00 PDT
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What Is A Black Eye? What Is A Periorbital Hematoma?
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A black eye, also known as a periorbital hematoma or a shiner, refers to bruising of the tissue under the skin around the eye. In the majority of cases the injury was not to the eye itself, but rather to the face. The patient may have been struck on the face by a tennis ball, a fist, a door, etc. It is called a "black eye" because the bluish-dark color of the surrounding tissue's bruising, caused by capillaries (tiny blood vessels) under the skin that have burst and leaked blood under the skin.
There is also usually some swelling and pain in the area surrounding the eye. Sometimes the area puffs up a lot and vision may blur temporarily.
After cosmetic surgery to some parts of the face, or even certain kinds of dental work, patients may also have black eyes for a few days.
The black eye occurs because of bleeding under the skin around the eye. In most cases, a black eye is not dangerous; however, a skull fracture or some types of head injuries can cause raccoon eyes, with signs of bruising around both eyes. If there is bleeding inside the eye (hyphema), the patient should see a doctor immediately as there could be eye damage, which could lead to vision problems.
If you have two black eyes you should see your doctor
What are the signs and symptoms of a black eye?
A symptom is only felt by the patient, for example a headache or blurred vision, while a sign can be detected by others, such as bruising, swelling or a rash.Below are some of the most common signs and symptoms of a black eye:
- The injured area starts swelling, with some mild discoloration, the coloring starts to spread slowly, usually red, and progresses to a dark blue, then deep violet and possibly black.
- Swelling - as the discoloration progresses so does the swelling
- Pain - sometimes only pain is felt if you touch the area, but in some cases there may be constant pain
- Over the period of a few day, the swelling decreases and the area becomes lighter
- There may be some vision problems, usually blurriness. If the vision problems persist, see your doctor. Signs of double-vision should be reported immediately.
- There may be a headache. If the headache persists for more than a couple of days, tell your doctor.
- If you bleed from the nose or ears, see a doctor straight away.
- If there is blood on the surface of the eye, get medical help immediately.
- If you cannot move the eye, tell your doctor straight away.
How long does a black eye last?
All the signs and symptoms of a black eye should be gone within a week or two.The dark colors gradually fade away after a few days, from dark blue or violet/black, to a yellowish-green.
In most cases, if there are no alarming symptoms (described above), a person with a black eye can attend to it at home and does not need to seek medical help.
What are the treatment options for a black eye?
What you can do yourself to treat a black eye What a doctor might do to treat a black eyeIf it is an uncomplicated black eye, the doctor will recommend doing the same as above. If the patient has a heart condition, the doctor may prescribe something special for the pain, or agree with acetaminophen.
If a primary care physician (GP, general practitioner, family doctor) suspects there may be a more serious injury, the patient will be referred to a specialist; either a neurosurgeon if a brain or skull injury is suspected, an ophthalmologist if the GP believes there might be an injury to the eye, an ear/nose and throat specialist (otorhinolaryngologist) for a suspected face injury, or a plastic surgeon if there are serious cuts.
How to prevent getting a black eye
It is impossible to take measures that give you 100% protection, but there are many things you can do to reduce your risk.- Your home - make sure rugs and carpets are well placed and do not have wrinkles people can trip over. Do not leave things lying on the stairs or on the floor, especially in areas where people walk through a lot.
- Protective gear - if you participate in any activity that increases the risk of injury to the face, such as martial arts, boxing, contact sports, make sure you always wear protective gear. Always wear a helmet when you are riding a motorbike.
- Goggles - when gardening, wear goggles if your task might result in a blow to the face. There are several hobbies, such as woodwork or metalwork, in which you should make sure your eyes or face are protected.
- Automobiles - always make sure you are buckled up.
Copyright: Medical News Today
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Sources: National Health Service, UK; National Institutes of Health, USA; Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons.
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n.p. "What Is A Black Eye? What Is A Periorbital Hematoma?." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 20 Aug. 2012. Web.
23 Aug. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249231.php>
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