Black Eye

The discoloration you see in a black eye is actually blood in the tissues beneath the skin. No skin is cut, but tiny blood vessels under the skin break and bleed. As the injury heals, the blood is eventually absorbed by the body.

During healing, the bruised area will turn green and then yellow. The bruised area may move down the side of the face, a sign that gravity is pulling on the blood. When a fist causes a black eye, the damage is likely limited and will heal with a little self-care. When something harder causes the black eye — a bat, for example — you should be concerned about a more serious injury. Occasionally, a black eye can signal a skull fracture, a broken facial bone, or a serious eye injury; these problems require immediate medical attention. An eye injury that is not treated by a physician can lead to glaucoma or impaired vision.

What to Do

Seek immediate medical attention if blood is pooling in the eye or is visible through the cornea (hyphema). Otherwise, these are reasons to see your doctor:

• The pain is severe, or more than tenderness or soreness

• Your eyelid is cut

• Your vision is disturbed

• You have double vision

• You feel faint, dizzy or confused

• Your eyeball becomes red or swollen

• You have difficulty moving your eye

• Mild pain persists for more than a day

• The bruise does not fade or disappear after 12 days

• You notice other bruising that appears with no apparent cause

• Blood appears in your eye

• You cannot open your eyelid

Use Medicine Effectively

Relieve any discomfort with acetaminophen.

Self-Care Steps for Black Eye

• Apply cold compresses or ice wrapped with a towel or other cloth to the eye as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Use cold for 10 minutes every hour to reduce swelling and limit bruising. Avoid placing ice directly onto the eye.

• Wear sunglasses in bright areas to avoid eyestrain. (You'll also avoid all those questions about how you got a black eye.)

• Don't bother ruining a steak by placing it over the eye in hopes of quicker healing. The steak merely provides cold and pressure, which help your black eye no better than an ice pack. There are no other medically proven benefits from placing a steak on a black eye.