Facial Trauma to The Eyes

More than 85% traumatic eye injuries are the result of an accident during contact sports, car crash, work, or home improvement projects. This includes eye (orbital) socket fractures. Only about 15% eye injuries are the direct cause of a violent assault. Men are four times more at risk of attaining an eye injury as opposed to women. Most facial injuries occur in people of 30 years of age.

Your eye socket is a bony cup surrounding the eye and protecting it from harm. The rim of this socket is made from thick bones. However, the nasal side and floor of the orbital socket is virtually paper thin in places. Eye socket fractures can occur in the floor, rim, or both. Your eye surgeon will consider the extent and type of injury before determining the cosmetic surgery treatment plan.

These fractures occur when there is a direct impact to the face. In certain cases, eye muscles, optic nerve, tear duct, sinuses, and nerves responsible for sensation in the cheek and forehead may get damaged. This is true even if the impact was limited to the eye area.

Orbital rim fractures are of two broad types – frontal bone fracture and zygomatic fracture. Frontal bone fracture, also called frontal sinus fracture, involves a portion of the forehead’s frontal bone. Zygomatic fractures are generally around the lower edge of rim, near the cheekbones.

This fracture is also called a blowout fracture and occurs when the paper thin floor of the orbital socket ruptures or cracks without damaging the bony eye rim. A small hole is usually caused in the eye socket floor. This hole can trap eye muscle parts and other surrounding structures. You may suffer from double vision as well if the injured eye is unable to move in the socket freely.

This is a straightforward fracture in which both the socket and rim gets fractured. However, depending on the severity of the injury, you may require an intensive eyelid surgery.

Your oculoplastic surgeon will base the treatment on the location and severity of the injury. You may not require a surgery for uncomplicated blowout fractures. Antibiotics, decongestants and icepacks may do the trick. However, the doctor will refer you to a surgeon if the injury is extensive and requires reconstructive surgery.

Typically, surgery is needed to

• Free trapped eye muscles
• Remove bone fragments
• Eliminate double vision
• Restore the architectural integrity of your eye socket
• Repair any deformity in the eye rim