Topic overview

Start with the big picture

Initial assessment considers the injury mechanism, chemical exposure, contact-lens use, timing, visual acuity, and red flags such as vision loss, severe pain, or photophobia. Chemical burns require prompt, continuous irrigation, with pH guiding when to stop; assessment should not delay that step. Other injuries call for condition-specific actions: corneal abrasions and foreign bodies require attention to the ocular surface, while suspected globe rupture calls for shielding and avoidance of pressure. The topic also covers hyphema, blunt orbital trauma, UV keratitis, eyelid lacerations, thermal burns, and orbital cellulitis. Together, these principles help distinguish immediate first aid from measures that should be avoided and identify cases needing urgent ophthalmology or other specialist involvement.