How Motor Vehicle Accidents Can Cause Eye Issues & Injuries
If you are involved in a car accident, you may suffer an eye injury or vision loss. In some cases, you might even lose your vision permanently, and vision problems are not an uncommon type of injury sustained after car collisions.
Eye injuries or blindness can occur after a car accident if you sustain direct trauma to the eye because of flying debris (i.e. glass, metal, objects in the car, etc.). These injuries can also occur if you suffer from a whiplash-associated disorder or a traumatic brain injury.
Common Eye Problems After a Car Accident
Eye-related injuries may not be life-threatening but suffering from such injuries can significantly impact your quality of life. From the moment we wake up, we rely on our eyes to navigate our days and complete tasks, and having to adjust to an eye impairment or injury can be difficult. Below, we will outline the eight common eye-related injuries suffered after car accidents.
1. Eyelid Lacerations
Lacerations or cuts on your eyelids can be sustained when flying glass or debris hit your face. If left untreated, they can become infected, and even after treatment, other complications can arise that lead to a loss of vision. Such complications include:
- Corneal injury (which is a scratch on the surface of your eye)
- Eyelid notching
- Hemorrhages (which occur when a blood vessel breaks in the eye or there is a tear)
- Irregular eyelid contouring
- Prolapse of orbital fat
- Shortening of the eyelid fornices (which affect the freedom of movement that your eyes have)
2. Chemical Burns
When your airbag deploys, vapor or powder may escape from the bag, which can cause chemical burns to your eye area. Chemical burns can cause alkali keratitis (and permanent vision loss) if your eyes are not irrigated or treated soon after being injured.
3. Orbital Fracture
An orbital fracture is essentially a bone break that occurs in one of your eye sockets; orbital fractures are typically caused by a harsh blow to the face. There are three types of orbital fractures: orbital rim fractures, blowout fractures, and orbital floor fractures.
You may suffer from this injury if you notice the following symptoms.
- Blurred vision
- Bruising (Black or blue in color) around the eyes
- Difficulty with moving the eyes
- Double vision
- Facial numbness
- Flattened cheek
- Pain and nausea that worsens with eye movements
- Sensitivity to light
- Swelling to the surrounding tissues
- Trouble focusing
4. Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment, which is one of the most common eye-related car accident injuries, occurs when your retina moves from its normal position and is torn from the surrounding tissue. In its new position, the retina is often deprived of nutrients and oxygen, which can lead to vision loss; the longer the retina remains detached, the greater the chance the vision loss will be permanent.
Retinal detachment is quite painful, and pain in your eye is the first indicator you may suffer from this injury. Other symptoms include:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Light sensitivity
- Loss or reduction of peripheral vision
- Seeing flashes of light
- Sudden appearance of floaters in your field of vision
After being involved in a vehicular accident, you should seek medical care immediately following the accident as medical professionals know what to look for in terms of symptoms. In the days following the accident, you should also be mindful of your symptoms as this type of injury requires surgery, and as we mentioned, it is best for the reattachment to occur as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage as well as hemorrhaging.
5. Vitreous Hemorrhage
The clear, jelly-like substance in your eyes is known as vitreous humor. If you suffer damage to your eyes that causes blood to leak into the vitreous humor, this is known as vitreous hemorrhaging. Complications from this injury can lead to long-term vision loss and/or glaucoma.
6. Optic Nerve Damage
If you suffer head trauma during a car accident, pressure may build in your skull and press on/damage your optic nerve, which is important for your vision as it transmits electrical impulses from your eyes to your brain. If the pressure decreases or interferes with the blood circulation to the optic nerves, you may suffer from permanent blindness or vision loss.
If you are suffering from optic nerve damage, you may experience the following symptoms.
- Loss of color vision
- Pain that is worsened by moving the eye
- Vision disturbances, such as flashing light
- Vision loss in one eye
7. Traumatic Brain Injury Leading to Eye Problems
Many car accident victims suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which can range in severity. There are multiple types of TBIs including concussions, hematomas, brain hemorrhages, and diffuse axonal injuries (DAIs). If you suffer from a traumatic brain injury, you may also suffer from vision issues like blurred vision, vision loss, or loss of periphery vision.
8. Eye Complications from Traumatic Brain Injuries
While certain eye issues may fade, other vision problems related to TBIs can disrupt the communication between the eyes and the signaling system in the brain, specifically damaging the cranial nerves that control eye function. These issues include:
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty reading and focusing
- Difficulty with eye alignment
- Double vision
- Loss of sharpness and clarity in vision
- Narrowed range of vision
- Sensitivity to light
Suffered an Eye Injury or Vision Problem After a Car Crash? Contact Us!
At Eliot Reiner, APLC, we have over 30 years of collective experience and are dedicated to advocating for our client’s rights. If you have suffered injuries, including eye-related injuries, our firm can help you fight for your right to fair compensation. While many firms often take advantage of clients and walk away with a larger payment than you win in your settlement, we never get paid more than our clients. Our attorneys also provide clients with personalized, creative solutions, and once you retain our services, we can get to work on developing a solid case strategy.
Known for our aggressive legal representation, we are here to help you. Schedule a case consultation today by calling (916) 778-3228 or contacting our team online.