A bruise around the eye is a bruise or bleeding of the tissue under the skin around the eye. It is usually caused by a blow to the face, such as a punch or a fall. It can also sometimes occur after cosmetic surgery on the face, such as a facelift or rhinoplasty.
In such cases, the area around the eye turns blue or purple because very small blood vessels under the skin are torn and blood leaks into the surrounding soft tissue.
In this case, your skin may be painful and swollen, and you may have difficulty opening your eye. You may also have temporary blurred vision and a headache.
What to do if you have a bruise around the eye?
Usually, a bruise around the eye is not serious, and if there are no signs of a serious injury, you can take care of it at home until it fully heals.
After a few days, the swelling around the eye will decrease, the bruise will turn a yellowish-brown color, and will eventually disappear completely after a few days.
Like other bruises, bruises around the eyes will take about one to two weeks to heal completely.
Self-care:
You can usually help reduce the symptoms of bruises around the eyes yourself.
After you notice a bruise, to reduce symptoms, place an ice pack in a plastic bag and gently place it on your eye as soon as possible. You can also use a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a towel.
The cold of the ice will numb the painful area and relieve swelling. On the first day, you should put the ice pack on your eye for 15-20 minutes every hour.
You can use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve pain. Avoid taking aspirin (unless prescribed by a doctor) because using aspirin can make bleeding worse. It should also be noted that aspirin should never be given to anyone under 16 years of age.
If the swelling or pain does not go away, or the bruised area is warm and red, or if there is pus discharge, be sure to see a doctor. These symptoms could indicate an infection.
When should you go to the emergency room?
If you experience any of the following symptoms, go to the nearest emergency room immediately:
✓ If you have bruising around both eyes as a result of a blow to the head (in this case, the blow to the head may have caused a fracture of the base of the skull).
✓ If you lost consciousness at the time of the blow to the head.
✓ If you have double vision or vision loss.
✓ If you have other signs of a serious head injury, such as memory loss, severe or chronic headache, drowsiness, seizures, or vomiting.
✓ If you cannot move your eye.
✓If you think something is stuck in your eye or feel like there is a foreign body in your eye.
✓If you have a tear in your eye or streaks of blood in your eye.
✓If you have other signs of serious eye injury, such as: abnormally shaped pupils, pain when exposed to light, or seeing flashing spots, halos, or shadows in your vision.
✓If you are taking a blood thinner such as aspirin or have a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia.
Any of the above means you have suffered a serious injury and your condition should be evaluated as soon as possible.