A simple family moment that turns into a nightmare… This is what Lee Cuthbert experienced while swimming in a hotel pool. While playing in the water with his children, a volleyball player suddenly tore his cornea. Here’s how to react to such an emergency, according to Dr. Gérald Kierzek, medical director of True Medical.
A player’s nail hit the father’s eyeball
While enjoying the joys of swimming with his children, Lee Cuthbert was seriously injured. While trying to catch a ball, a water volleyball player, who was right next to it, actually hit his eye.
“I was really shocked when I saw his eye. He explained to me that another player had ‘grabbed’ him with their nail while trying to catch the ball. The nail dug in and cut his eye right in the center. I couldn’t help but panic and ran to get help.” confides his wife, still in shock.
Fortunately, a nurse on scene quickly understood the seriousness of the situation and directed Lee Cuthbert to a hospital. He was taken into emergency care and received first aid.
But the next morning, the news was not good: behind what seemed to be a simple scratch was in reality a very serious injury. “He came back with a huge bandage over his eye. The doctors had sutured it, but it was only a temporary solution… At the moment of impact, his eyeball had literally exploded“, explains the companion of the injured man to the Mirror newspaper.
The father therefore had to undergo surgery quickly so that the doctors could remove his eye.”Lee will never regain his sight and it took him a while to accept that“, confides his wife.
A rare accident, but one that reminds us how rapid, unpredictable, and irreversible eye damage can be.
Any eye sore should be taken seriously
Contrary to popular belief, any incident, even minor (like a scratch to the eye) can quickly get worse.
“A simple corneal abrasion can become infected and progress to severe keratitis, sometimes requiring removal of the eye. This remains rare, but extremely serious. Bacteria or parasites present under the nails, associated with exposure to water (particularly in a swimming pool), promote secondary infection if it is not taken care of”, explains Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
A nail scratch can thus cause corneal abrasion, that is to say damage to the superficial layer of the cornea – particularly sensitive and vulnerable to infections. “Without rapid care, bacteria or parasites (such as Acanthamoeba in an aquatic environment) can proliferate, leading to keratitis, then an ulcer, or even necrosis. In the most serious cases, removal of the eye may be necessary to prevent the spread of the infection. Delay in diagnosis greatly increases the risks, particularly after exposure to insufficiently chlorinated swimming pool water,” specifies the medical director of True Medical.
Eye wound: what good actions to take?
In the event of a scratch on the eye, Dr. Gérald Kierzek invites everyone to adopt the following reflexes:
- Rinse the eye immediately with physiological serum, without rubbing or touching;
- Blink to help clear debris;
- Avoid wearing lenses and makeup;
- Quickly consult an ophthalmologist, who can prescribe preventive antibiotic eye drops.
What if you wait too long? In this case, call 15 or go to the emergency room (general or ophthalmological).”to carry out in particular a fluorescein test, which makes it possible to check the integrity of the cornea“, specifies Dr Gérald Kierzek. Also consult urgently in case of severe pain, loss of vision, persistent redness, purulent discharge or if symptoms do not improve within 24 to 48 hours.
“Visible bleeding, inability to open the eye or signs of infection (yellowish discharge) require immediate attention,” insists the doctor.
The take-home message? Even in the absence of symptoms, any eye injury should be the subject of a consultation.