What to do after an eye injury
People sometimes ignore changes in their vision, hoping it will go away. Flashing lights, a flood of new floaters, a spider web on the edge of the visual field all seem like minor annoyances but may be symptoms of serious problems that could lead to permanent vision loss.

You should immediately seek medical care if you have double vision, vision loss, eye pain, coloured circles around lights, new spots, strings, cobwebs, shadows before the eyes, bulging of the eye or swelling of eye tissues, sudden crossed, turned or wandering eye, discharge, crusting or excessive tearing, eyelids stuck together, sudden and persistent blurring or flashes of light.

There are certain warning signs of a potentially serious eye injury. These include tears in the outer ocular walls, bleeding on the surface or inside the eye, vision loss and/or a foreign body lodged in the eye. You should not try to remove a lodged foreign body in the eye without professional assistance. The risk of further injury is great.

Prompt first aid after one of these types of injuries may greatly improve the chance of preserving vision. The first step is to place a protective cover over the eye to prevent further damage. Then seek emergency care as soon as possible.