Black Eye Treatment

What can I do for a black eye?
(20 Apr 2007)

Ending up with a black eye can be quite an embarrassing experience for anyone. It can be even worse for a man, as it would greatly dent any alpha male credibility that he has built up over the years. The fact that a black eye, even if attained in a vey natural way such as a simple fall, is still taken as sign of physical battle can be quite misguided.

A black eye is simply caused due to an injury of the face rather than an injury to the actual eye itself and the dark pigmentation is a result of bleeding beneath the skin, around the eye. Most of the black eyes encountered are relatively minor injuries and heal on their own if given a few days. While the most common cause of a black eye is often a rather heavy blow to the nose, it can also be caused by severe head injuries like skull fracture which causes both the eyes to swell up and appear black. The condition could also be brought on by surgical procedures such as a facelift, nose surgery or even jaw surgery. Allergic reactions, cellulitis and insect bites are also known to cause the occurrence of black eyes. In addition to the embarrassment, the black eye will also involve a heavy swelling of the area around the eye as well as a significant amount of pain. The skin around the eye will also appear to change color between deep violet, dark green, a slight yellow or even simply black. Sometimes, the condition may also affect and blur one’s vision, but this is usually temporary and no permanent damage is usually caused to a person’s eye or vision.

As soon as a person starts to notice the development of a black eye, it is essential that a cube of ice is placed on the affected area. This will reduce the inflammation and will help heal the black eye much faster. However, you must make sure that you move the cold object around the affected area as keeping it in one place may cause the area to numb, thereby slowing down the healing process considerably. Once the swelling has disappeared, the next priority is to get rid of the coloration around the eye. You can accomplish this by dipping a clean cloth in some warm water and placing it over the eye. Once the cloth seems to cool down, keep replacing it with another warm piece of cloth and repeat the cycle for about 6 times.

answered by G M on 19 Apr 2010, 11:12:11

A black eye is one of the most well known injuries and is quite common. It is the result of an injury or trauma to the face or head that causes blood or fluids to collect in the space surrounding the eye. This accumulation of blood or other fluids is responsible for the swelling and discoloration that gives the condition its name. Bruising is a normal process and there is an accumulation of blood in the upper layer of skin resulting in a purplish tinge.

In most cases these are minor injuries that require little to no treatment. It can heal naturally but at times may indicate a more serious injury. The most important thing to keep in mind when dealing with a black eye is that prompt treatment is most effective. Treatment comprises of simple home remedies or first aid measures. Most of these measures are aimed at reducing the symptoms or to prevent the damage from setting in.

•   A large cause for the pain is the swelling, which logically means that if you control the swelling you can reduce the pain. Ice packs or any other cold compress treatment can help to this end.

•   Keep in mind that extreme cold can also damage your skin so avoid applying ice or the cold compress directly to the eyelid, instead hold it against the cheek. Do this in intervals of around ten minutes and keep it up for a couple of days.

•   Increase your dietary intake of vitamin C rich foods as it is believed to promote healing in such injuries.

•   In around two days, substitute the cold compress with a warm compress.

•   Sneezing can be extremely painful, so avoid any foods or other environmental factors or other conditions that may cause you to sneeze.

•   Avoid drugs like aspirin as it is an anticoagulant. This means that it acts as a blood thinner, which in turn means that it makes it a lot harder for blood to clot. The effect of this on your black eye is that the bleeding may last longer with increased discoloration.

While a black eye is not usually a cause for concern, keep in mind that in certain cases it may be a sign of greater damage. Look out for these warning signs:

•   Eye pain more sever than that from normal bruising

•   If vision is affected

•   Any drainage from the eyes

•   Presence of blood on the eyes surface or from the nose/ears

•   Loss of consciousness

answered by G M on 21 Apr 2009, 6:15:45

Wrap ice in a towel or a plastic bag. Apply it on your black eye for 5-10 minutes every 2 hrs. This will help to reduce the swelling and minimize internal bleeding by constricting the blood vessels in the eye. Avoid putting pressure on the eyeball.
After 2 days switch to warm compress as this will help in better blood circulation and speed up healing.
Rub caster oil slowly on the black eye to decrease the swelling.
Avoid any kind of facial stress/pressure, even blowing your nose too hard in that case.

Have patience as it would at least take a week for the black eye to heal completely.
If the pain is severe and your vision is at stake then consult a specialist for immediate medical assistance.

answered by S P on 25 Apr 2007, 10:55:37

Black Eye Treatment

What can I do for a black eye? (20 Apr 2007)

What can I do for a black eye?
(20 Apr 2007)