punched in the eye

[kakjdfjjdksksk]

hello, last night i was punched in the eye. everything seemed to be fine until i got home, i was showering and i coughed up a little blood. i blew my nose shortly after and my eye instantly puffed up. There is no bruising, but the eyelids seem to be filled with fluid and are now swollen so the eye is about halfway shut...  i look like a monster!!!! please help..

[Mishada32]

Hello, yesterday I was punched on the left side of my face twice both times in the eye as well.  I had on contacts and it came out. I went to the emergency room immediately afterwards & they gave something to ice it.  My eye was red & i was  seeing pink for about 30 min but that went away.   The ER Dr checked my face for any softness & said it felt fine...gave me ibuprofen.  There's numbness on my left cheekbone, leftside of my nose & bridge and left upper.  He did not want to do an x-ray because he said its too much radiation for the eyes & face & can lead to glaucoma or cataracts.  I iced throughout the night & put this eye treatment on.  Today there's no discoloration but the numbness is still there.  I have to see a specialist through the medical section of my job cause it's work-related injury so there's no telling how long that will take.  In the meantime, what should I do besides the icing & taking the medication or what do I lookout for?  Thank you!

[Chuckles960]

In most areas there is a public hospital that must take indigents, or a private (e.g. religious) hospital that takes indigents in emergency cases. This is not something you ignore in the hope that it will go away by itself.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Go to the emergency room.  Don't blow your nose.  Keep cool packs over involved area.  You need evalation, including cat scan and probably antibiotcs.  You might need orbital surgery if fracture is extensive.

MJK MD

[kakjdfjjdksksk]

ok, thanks, but what about if i can't afford all of that?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

You may have a fracture of the eye socket (specifically a fracture of the medial wall that separate the ethmoid sinus from orbit.)  When you blew your nose you may have blown air from ethmoid sinus into eye socket.  You need to see emergency room and ophthalmologist right away.  You need immediate attention and need a CT scan or head, orbits, and sinuses.

MJK MD