Eye Injury

In case of injury call us at 206-243-3611*
to be seen without waiting or appointment.

*IF YOU SUFFER AN EYE INJURY AT NIGHT OR ON THE WEEKEND
GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM FOR
TREATMENT

SYMPTOMS THAT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE
MEDICAL ATTENTION:
• Decrease in vision
• Pain on eye movement
• Light sensitivity
• Halos around lights
• Laceration of the eye or lid

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR EYES, EXPERIENCE COUNTS

Dr. Steiner specializes in microsurgery and oculoplastic surgery of the eye, the skills required to restore both
function and appearance to a damaged eye area. His experience with wilderness medicine and velodrome
bicycle racing gives him special insight to the unique vision needs and risks inherent to an active lifestyle.

SPORTS EYE MEDICINE

More than 40,000 eye injuries per year are related to sports. The greatest number occur in sports involving a
ball, bat, stick, puck or racquet. Nearly one third of those injured are children between the ages of 5 and 14.
Basketball and baseball top the list, followed by water and racquet sports. Other sports, such as boxing,
wrestling and martial arts involve body contact without eye protection and are extremely high risk, though fewer
participants mean fewer overall injuries. About 90 percent of these injuries are preventable.
Most sports-related eye injuries are caused by blunt trauma which can result in an orbital blowout fracture
(broken bones around the eyeball), rupture of the eye, internal bleeding or a detached retina (the light sensitive
lining of the eye responsible for vision). Bruising or “black eye” is common, but usually not as serious.
Less common are penetrating injuries that occur when the eye is cut. Eyeglasses that break, another player’s
fingernail, fishing hooks or other sharp objects can cause injuries ranging from mild to deep cuts.
Snow skiing, water skiing and other water sports present the further hazard of radiation injury cause by
exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light.

BEFORE YOU PLAY

A thorough eye examination is in order before you play any sport. If you have any family history of retinal
detachment or other retina problems, it is important to bring this to Dr. Steiner’s attention. He will help guide
you in your decision to play or not, and advise you on how best to protect your precious vision.

PROTECTING YOUR EYES

Wearing eye protection can reduce the risk of eye injury. All protective sports eyewear should be made with
polycarbonate lenses which are available both with and without prescription. Polycarbonate lenses are thin,
lightweight and highly impact resistant. It is important to remember that contact lenses and sunglasses will
not protect your injury. Similarly, a helmet or faceguard alone does not protect your eyes from an opponent's
fingers or other sports equipment. Dr Steiner can help you choose eye protection for your specific sport. Our
optical shop, Highline Optical, will make the right protective eyewear for your needs.

WORK RELATED EYE INJURY

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, as
many as 520,000 workers in America suffer work-related
eye injuries each year…about 2,000 per day. The over-
whelming majority are men between the ages of 25 and
44. Many of these injuries occur when the worker thought
he didn’t need eye protection, or used inadequate pro-
tection. About 90% of work related eye injuries are pre-
ventable.

In the workplace use only eye protection that has been
certified by the American National Standards Institute. To
insure adequate protection, "ANSI Z87" should be clearly
stamped on the frame or lens.
Many workers are reluctant to use protective eyewear
because they feel it is unattractive or uncomfortable…
but spending the day in an emergency room with a
painful injury would be a great deal less comfortable
for most.

COMMON CAUSES OF AT WORK INJURY:
• Fumes
• Dust
• Welding
• Splashes
• Impacts
• Grinding
HOME SAFE?

If you’re like most people you probably routinely use household chemicals such as cleaning products,
pesticides and other yard chemicals without a thought to your eyes. But an estimated 125,000 eye injuries are
caused each year by normal household products or activities. It is important to take the same precautions to
protect your eye at home as in the workplace when working with power tools, doing yardwork, or when using
caustic cleaners that could splash and cause injury. Remember also to keep household chemicals,
cosmetics and cleaning supplies safely out of the reach of children.

COMMON CAUSES OF AT HOME INJURY:

• Working on cars
• Home repairs
• Cooking
• Chemical splashes
• Back yard sports