Serious Blunt Trauma to Eye from Tennis Ball

[Schmoozie]

Hi, I have suffered a blunt trauma to my right eye from a tennis ball (speed approx 25 mph) - I was playing doubles and turned round as a friend was returning service getting full force of the ball to my eye.
The trauma occurred yesterday and I visited A&E within 20 minutes, and the consultant told me the worst case scenarios - ie. detached retina, glaucoma etc etc.

Can anyone give me hope here about recovery from such an injury as I am extremely worried about the sight in my eye. It looks quite bad because there is a haemorragic blood clot in the white of my eye, but I do have full movement.

There is obviously pressure pain - will this take long to subside?

Are there any physical activities I should particularly avoid to lessen chances of further damage- ie. bending down to pick things up causes particular pressure.

Also, the doc put drops to dilate my pupil and it is still dilated 14 hours later. Is this due to the drops, or the trauma.

Any help or advice to calm my worries would be greatly appreciated. I want to know the worst really and the best so I can prepare myself and ask questions of my eye doctor in a day's time.

thank you v much

[Forum-OD-MP]

dont worry too much about the dilation.  even if it is dilated 24 hours it is not a big deal.  it will go away.  it is from the drop, not from the trauma.  i am assuming they did not find detachment/hole/tear b/c you were dilated and you didnt mention any of that.  i am also assuing that you did not have a fracture...

yes, the pain & pressure will subside in a few days.

you will need multiple exams by an eye doctor over the next few days/weeks.  they will be looking for signs of retinal trauma, iris and anterior chamber trauma and inflammation.  if i were you i'd go at least once a week for 3 weeks or so and have the optometrist/ophthalmologist look.

as for restrictions, it depends on how much damage there is.  i'd take it easy for awhile...dont lift heavy objects (say over 30 lbs), dont work out or jog or lift weights, etc.  and no tennis or boxing or basketball or anything that could give you repeated blunt trauma...

[Schmoozie]

Thank you.
So far as I have been told they have not found anything untwoard, at least not that they are telling me! They have just found a corneal abrasion because the contact lens fractured upon impact.

thank you for the advice in the meantime. I will post again re progress for other people's benefit.

cheers

[Belledonna]

Also,
They make safety sunglasses to wear at times such as lawnmowing so that if the lawnmower hurls a pebble or dirt, your eyes can be protected.
You can also buy goggles(with or without perscription) to wear while participatig in sports (such as tennis)(racket ball). These goggles usually have a strap to hold them securely in place while you're hopping up and down such as in basketball.
I would wear glasses for a while because your eye is probably swollen and since you have had an injury, you might be more at risk to developing an infection from the contact lens wear. Be sure to wear your goggles or protective glasses while in the pool if anyone is spashing water.I got splashed  with water which seemed to go right in my eye while particiopating in water aerobics about 6 weeks after my macular hole surgery and I had to keep ice on my eye all night in order to get some sleep--eye burned all night.But I was lucky and I did not have an injury.
And my eye cleared up n no time.

[Billyclyde]

A related discussion, Blunt eye trauma was started.