Injury

Injury to the eye and surrounding tissues requires urgent assessment and treatment to reduce the risk to vision, and to exclude other injuries to the structures around the eye.

The eyelids and eye socket can be injured by blunt, sharp, chemical and thermal insults. Such injuries can lead to distortion of the eyelid and secondary eyelid malpositions, this frequently causing an uncomfortable or watery eye. Where the delicate lacrimal structures (canaliculi) in the inner corner of the eyelid are involved, repair can be complex and sometimes requires further secondary surgery.

In addition to injury to the eye itself, blunt injuries to the eyeball (for example, from a fall, a punch, or a squash ball) can lead to fractures of the very thin bony floor and inner  wall of the eye socket (also called blow-out fractures).  Although not all  such fractures require repair, where there is persistent double vision, or a sunken appearance to the eye, surgery is indicated.  In certain cases, where there is clear  ‘entrapment’ of a muscle, surgery is performed urgently.

Areas of expertise

• Eyelid injuries
• Lacrimal injuries
• Orbital blow out fractures