Any cut in the eye can be extremely painful, and it's important to take them seriously, regardless of how deep the cut appears to be. The severity of the injury depends on the object that caused the cut. Your eye may seem squishy, but it takes a significant amount of force to penetrate it. If you sustain an eye injury, it is important to seek medical attention immediately by calling our office or by visiting an emergency room or urgent care facility.
Even if there is no visible blood or changes in vision, it's still recommended to have the cut checked out by our eye doctor. This is because it can be difficult to determine the depth of the cut without proper examination. For example, our eye doctor may use a microscope to examine the cut and determine if it is superficial or if it has reached deeper layers of the eye.
What are the different symptoms of a deep cut in the eye?
Symptoms of a deep cut in the eye can include:
- Severe pain
- Bleeding from the eye
- Swelling and bruising around the eye
- Difficulty opening or closing the eye
- Vision changes such as blurriness or loss of vision
- The feeling of a foreign body in the eye
- The appearance of a visible cut or tear in the eyelid
- Irregular shape of the eyelid
- Numbness or weakness around the eye
- Loss of sensation in the eyelid
If you are experiencing severe pain or any of the above listed symptoms, it is important to seek immediate medical attention as a deep cut in the eye can lead to serious complications such as infection and vision loss if not treated promptly.
Does it matter where you get cut in the eye?
Deep cut in cornea
It is important to know where a cut on the eye occurs as the location can affect the level of vision threat. A cut on the front, clear part of the eye called the cornea can be particularly painful as it contains pain receptors. You might think that the cut is on the colored part of the eye known as iris, but in fact it’s on the clear part, cornea, that sits over the iris. And that is where the pain receptors are. So if you do get the tiniest scratch on your cornea, it is going to cause a lot of pain.
Deep cut in sclera
However, a cut on the white part of the eye known as the sclera can also be painful and may cause bleeding, but is typically not as severe a threat to vision as a cornea injury. In fact, it may look worse because there are blood vessels there and it’s going to cause bleeding. But most likely it’s going to be superficial bleeding like a bruise. So a lot of times, after our eye doctor evaluates the cut or scratch, it's more just letting that heal and run its course, depending on again on how much of it has been scratched. But it's more vision threatening to have your cornea scratched. And that's where the pain comes in. If it's a painful eye, it is most likely the cornea that was scratched.
Deep cut near retina
Cuts on different parts of the eye can have different implications as well. For example, cuts near the retina or the optic nerve can cause serious vision loss or blindness. Cuts near the tear ducts can also cause complications, as they can lead to infections or blocked ducts.
Seek medical attention immediately!
Deeper cuts can cause more scarring and also increase the risk of infection. This is why it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, to prevent further damage and to ensure proper healing. If you experience an eye injury, it's important to call our eye doctor for medical help or go to an emergency room as soon as possible. Keep in mind that if the injury is painful or you have any concerns, it's best not to hesitate and seek help right away.
