An injury to your eye can be painful and debilitating.
You never know when you’ll be involved in a crash on Vancouver, Washington roads. In a split second, you could get hit head-on, T-boned, or sideswiped. Several injuries may occur, including those involving the eyes. Crash-related eye injuries can be severe and many times, life-changing.
Eye injuries caused by car accidents
Below, you’ll find details on the seven most common eye injuries caused by a crash. Attorney Colin Scott fights for the rights of injured motorists across the greater Vancouver, WA area. If you or a loved one sustained any of the following eye injuries from a car accident, The Scott Law Firm, PLLC can help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Airbag eye injuries
Airbags are designed to prevent deaths during a collision. But they can also unintentionally cause eye injuries and burns to the face. This is because airbags contain chemical compounds that cause them to inflate upon impact. In addition, some airbags come with potentially dangerous defects, such as the ones that led to the Takata airbag recall in 2019.
Airbag eye injuries often include:
- Black eyes
- Trauma to the eye lens
- Corneal abrasions
- Trauma to the cataracts
- Retinal detachments
- Burns to the eyes
Abrasions and lacerations
Abrasions and lacerations can also occur when glass, road debris, particles, and small car parts fly through the air during a crash. When small projectiles pierce the eye, corneal abrasions and lacerations can occur.
If you’ve sustained a corneal abrasion or laceration in a crash, get medical attention immediately. These types of eye injuries may lead to blindness if left untreated.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
What do TBIs have to do with eye injuries? Serious jolting or blunt impact to the head may lead to vision problems such as:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Difficulty with eye movements
- Loss of eye coordination (such as tracking or focusing)
- Loss of vision processing and perception
- Sensitivity to light
- Visual memory loss.
Some examples of TBIs include concussions, coup-contrecoup brain injuries, diffuse axonal injuries, and penetrating brain injuries. These are often caused by head-on collisions, T-bone crashes, rollovers, and high-speed rear-end collisions.
Orbital fractures
The orbital bone is the socket that surrounds the eyes. An orbital fracture occurs when one or more of the bones around the eyes break. Despite the orbital bone’s durability, enough blunt force from a crash can cause severe damage.
Globe ruptures
The globe of the eye refers to the eyeball or bulbus oculi. A globe rupture occurs when the cornea and/or sclera become damaged due to blunt trauma or penetration.
Cosmetic eye injuries
Cosmetic eye injuries can occur in a variety of ways and may result in disability or disfigurement. Many cosmetic eye injuries are caused by blunt trauma. Injuries that result in eye disfigurement may also include bleeding, swelling, bruising, and broken bones.
When an eye injury doesn’t heal properly, it may result in permanent disability or disfigurement. In addition, people who sustain cosmetic eye injuries may experience issues with self-esteem and social interactions.
Injuries to the eyelids
The eyelids provide lubrication to the eyes and protect the globes from foreign elements and objects. Eyelid injuries caused by a crash may result in blurred vision, swelling, eye pain, and difficulty with blinking.
Common treatments for eyelid injuries include cold compression, eye flushing, eye drops, and the use of an eye patch. Serious eyelid injuries may require surgery.
Find out how our Vancouver, WA law firm can help you.
Attorney Colin Scott understands how serious eye injuries caused by car accidents can be. If you or a loved one was hurt because of another driver’s irresponsible actions, The Scott Law Firm, PLLC can fight for the compensation you deserve.
Our Vancouver, WA law firm operates on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t have to pay any upfront fees for our services. Contact us online and schedule your no-obligation legal consultation.