A black eye is likely to occur if a child was struck in the eye or bumps into a hard surface. A black eye can be treated at home using an ice pack but it is ideal to bring the child to a doctor so that further assessment can be carried out.
What are the possible causes?
The usual cause of a black eye is sustaining a direct blow to the eye or nose. Take note that this can occur if the child bumps into something or struck by a moving object such as a ball.
This can damage the sensitive tissues surrounding the eye and result to bleeding beneath the skin that causes evident swelling and bruising.
What are the indications?
- Pain
The usual cause of a black eye is sustaining a direct blow to the eye or nose. - Swelling
- Bruising
The skin initially appears reddish and then turns purplish, yellow, green or black.
When to consult a doctor
It is vital to seek medical care right away if the following are present:
- Child complains of double or blurry vision
- Difficulty seeing
- Could not move the eye or move it in different directions
- There is swelling or redness in the white part of the eyes
- Both eyes are blackened, particularly if the child sustained a blow to the head
- There are cuts around the eye or you suspect that something penetrated the eyeball
Other factors that warrants medical attention include the following:
- The eye appears strange
- Child experiences a headache, nausea or vomiting
- Child has bleeding or drainage of clear fluid from the ears or nose
- Drowsiness or behaving in an unusual manner
Management
If the child has a black eye, apply an ice pack over the affected eye for 10-20 minutes every 2 hours during the initial 24 hours to reduce the swelling.
The individual should sleep on a few pillows or cushions to minimize the swelling around the eyes. This can take 1-2 weeks for the swelling and bruising to completely subside.
More Information / Disclaimer
The information posted on this page on black eye is for learning purposes only. Learn to recognize and manage internal bleeding from a black and how to perform proper wound care by taking a standard first aid course with one of our training centers.