He will be assessed again Saturday, Jan. 6. When a player has an eye injury, doctors have to perform a full eye exam. They use chemicals to dilate the eye's pupil, so they can look in at the retina to make sure it has not detached from the wall of the eye. Demitra also injured his eyelid and corner of his eye socket by the tear ducts, so doctors have to be careful not to do more damage to the skin and tender eye tissues as they physically spread the eyelid open to perform the exam and check the patient's vision. Physicians need to be sure that the globe, or the eyeball itself, has not been punctured, torn, or damaged, which also could require surgery for repair.
Fluids circulate through a healthy eye.
After an injury, doctors have to be sure these fluids can still move and drain properly. They check the pressure inside the eye to make sure fluid is not building up, which can damage the structures in the eye and lead to vision loss. When the injury is near the tear ducts, such as in this case, doctors have to be sure they are functioning properly, or the patient's face could be bathed in a constant stream of tears they can't control. Doctors need to assess the location and extent of a retinal bruise. Most will heal on their own without much visual impairment, unless they happen directly in the center of the retina, the area responsible for the sharpest vision.