Marathi: मुलांमधील डोळ्याला होणारी दुखापत
Eye injuries are one of the leading causes of avoidable blindness in one eye in children — and most happen at home or at play. Everyday objects can be surprisingly dangerous: a sharpened pencil, scissors, knives, a thrown stick, elastic catapults, toy bows and arrows, firecrackers, and even badminton shuttles or cricket balls. Because a child’s eye is still developing, a serious injury can permanently affect vision if not treated correctly and quickly.
First Aid: The Golden Rules
- Shield, don’t rub. Cover the eye loosely with a clean cup or shield to prevent pressure. Rubbing can push contents out of a punctured eye.
- Never remove an embedded object (such as a pencil tip) — stabilise it and go straight to hospital.
- For chemical splashes (lime, detergents), rinse the eye with clean water for 15–20 minutes, then come in. But do not rinse a cut or penetrating injury.
- Keep the child nil by mouth in case surgery under anaesthesia is needed.
- Reach an eye hospital as fast as possible — time matters.
Prevention
Supervise play with sharp or projectile toys, avoid bows-and-arrows and catapults for young children, keep scissors and pencils used responsibly, ban firecrackers without adult supervision, and use protective eyewear for sports. At Suraj Eye Institute, our emergency team is equipped to manage paediatric eye trauma — from corneal foreign bodies to open-globe (penetrating) injuries — with prompt surgical care when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
The eye looks fine after a knock — do we still need a check?
Yes. Serious injuries such as a retinal tear, internal bleeding or a small puncture can look deceptively normal at first. Any blow to the eye deserves an examination, especially if there is pain, blurring or light sensitivity.
Something is stuck in my child’s eye — should I pull it out?
No. Do not attempt to remove any embedded object. Shield the eye, keep the child calm, and come to the hospital immediately so it can be removed safely.
My child got lime (chuna) or detergent in the eye. What now?
Rinse immediately with clean water or saline for 15–20 minutes and come in urgently. Chemical burns are emergencies and early washing greatly improves the outcome.
How can I prevent eye injuries at home?
Supervise sharp toys, avoid bow-and-arrow and catapult play for little ones, keep firecrackers strictly adult-supervised, and use sports eye protection. Most childhood eye injuries are preventable.
Treat it as an emergency — do not rub the eye. Reach Suraj Eye Institute right away.
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