Managing penetrating eye injuries in dental practice
Sharp objects can penetrate the unprotected eye. In dental practice, follow the advice in Management of penetrating eye injuries in dental practice for first-aid management of patients with penetrating eye injuries.
If a penetrating eye injury occurs:
- Stop dental treatment.
- Call 000—the patient must be taken to an emergency department urgently.
- Do not attempt to remove the penetrating object from the eye.
- Do not irrigate the eye.
- Prevent the patient from rubbing the eye.
- Cover the eye with an eye shield, or use the base of a polystyrene cup and tape it on so it rests on the bony rim of the eye socket.
- Keep the patient calm until assistance arrives.
- Describe the object that penetrated the eye to the medical team (or show them a similar instrument).