Temporary damage to an eye can cause extreme inconvenience. Major damage to an eye or loss of sight can have a catastrophic impact upon your life.

The structure of your face is such that it helps to protect your eyes from injury.  Each eyeball is set into a protective socket of bone known as an orbit.  Your eyelids react very quickly to form a protective barrier of the cornea. 

Many people suffer chemical exposure and burns in accidents at work.  As a result of a splash of liquid getting into the eye.  This can cause the eye to become red and the eyelids to become swollen.  In some cases, there may be some temporary or permanent interference with vision.  Should chemicals get into your eyes, you should wash out that chemical with clean water.  If you have continuing symptoms, you should consult an Ophthalmologist. 

Bleeding (or subconjunctival hemorrhage) is generally painless and has no affect upon vision.  A red spot of blood will appear on the sclera (the white part of the eye).  This occurs due to a rupture of a small blood vessel on the surface of the eye.  The red spot, which may be fairly large, will gradually fade and disappear without the need for treatment.

In an accident, the outer surface of the eye known as the cornea can become scratched.  That will cause pain and an irritation, as if something is in the eye.  That, in turn, will cause the eye to water and may also make the eye more sensitive to light.  For this type of injury, you should attend an Accident and Emergency Department.  If they deem the injury to be severe, it is likely they will refer to you a Consultant Ophthalmologist.

A blow to the eye with a blunt object such a fist may cause a traumatic iritis.  This affects the iris which is the coloured part of the eye.  The iris is actually a muscle that controls the amount of light that enters the eye through the pupil.  The symptoms you are likely to experience from such a blow include excessive eye watering and a sensitivity to light. 

If you suffer a significant blow to the eye and surrounding structures, you could sustain a hyphemas or orbital fracture.  A hyphemas occurs due to bleeding in the eye in the anterior chamber which is the space between the cornea and the iris.  An orbital fracture involves the cracking or breaking of the facial bones surrounding the eye.  For such a serious eye injury, you should see a Consultant Ophthalmologist.

Accidents at work can result in pieces of metal, wood or plastic filing penetrating the eye.  This may result in a loss of sight claim.  Loss of sight can have a catastrophic impact upon your ability to drive and work.

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