These injuries can be life-threatening. Thus, it is helpful to seek counseling and support following a traumatic eye injury. The impact of these injuries can be long-lasting. Injury to the eye is classified as blunt, penetrating, or perforating trauma. It is Duke University Eye Center's goal to prevent ocular trauma through education and the use of proper eye protection.
Education is the key to prevention.
For example, studies have shown that BB's cause severe ocular injuries and the prognosis is poor. Children and young adolescents are not developmentally capable of exercising the necessary judgment required to handle BB's, rifles or any other kind of weapon without the supervision of a responsible adult. Safety glasses are a must in work environments where there is risk of penetrating or blunt eye injury. Examples are carpentry and work with heating and cooling systems. Treatment has improved as well, but there are still many challenges and obstacles to positive outcomes in the treatment of ocular trauma.