First Aid - Eyes, Ears & Nose

Eye wounds may cause:
• A visible wound.
• Partial or total loss of vision.
• A bloodshot appearance to the eye =though there Is no visible wound.
• Leakage of blood or clear fluid from a wound, with possible flattening of the eye ball.

Treatment
1 Lay the casualty on their back, keep their head as still as possible.
2 Encourage the casualty to keep both eyes still, moving the good eye will cause the Injured eye to move, which may cause further damage.
3. Apply an eye pad or sterile dressing over the injured eye. This will reduce the chances of infection and also discourages eye movement.
4. Take or send the casualty to hospital in the trsatment position.

A foreign body in the eye may cause:
• Blurred vision.
• Pain or discomfort.
• The eyelids to screw up In a spasm.
• Redness and watering of the eye.

The most often foreign objects getting in the eyes are: Dust or sand particles, ashes, glass or metal pieces, contact lens. They can be on the surface or stuck in the eye.

SYMPTOMS:
1) Pricking sensation increased by eye movement.
2) Tears
3) Excessive sensitivity to the light.


Treatment
1. Do not allow the casualty to rub eye.
2. Sit casualty In a position where they are facing the light.
3. Wash your hands carefully before examining the sick eye.
4. Using your finger and thumb, carefully separate the eyelids and examine every part of the eye.
5 Don't use rigid instruments (tooth picks, match etc.) while trying to remove the foreign object.
6. If the foreign body is on the white of the eye, wash it out with clean water, lihgtly salted if possible.
7. If this fails to remove the foreign body and providing it is not stuck in place, remove It with a damp comer of tissue or clean handkerchief.
8.Don't try to remove yourself an imbedded object in the eye. If a foreign body is stuck to or embedded in the eye, cover the eye with an eye pad and bandage and send the casualty to hospital.
9. Contact lens: Tell the victim to remove it herself.
10. If eye pupil is wounded, apply a light sterile dressing on it.
11. Bring the victim to hospital without delay.
12. It is best to cover both eyes, in order to reduce friction by the "normal eye movement.


FLASHES:
Dazzling or blindness due to sun.

SYMPTOMS:
1) Burning sensation even to intense pain.
2) Reddening of the eyes
3) Swelling
4) Photophobia (fear of light)
5) Symptoms can delay their appearance &occur suddenly in
the middle of a deep sleep.

PREVENTION: Avoid dazzling by wearing good sunglasses.

Treatment
1) Keep the victim in a dark place.
2) Apply a loose bandage on both eyes.
3) Bring to hospital.
4) Do not use eye drops.
5) Bath with wet cloth.
6) Do not expose to bright light.
7) Improvement should be noted in 24 hours.
8) But don't allow victim to expose to bright light soon
after or blindness may reoccur.

EYE PROBLEMS:
Try to see the object by holding a mirror close. Try to remove gently object with tip of moistened handkerchief, have someone else do it if possible.
Do not try to remove any object that is firmly embedded in eye.
Blinking may remove small surface object.
Blowing the nose very hard may help. Flush with clean water from side toward nose. If nothing helps, lightly bandage both eyes of victim, go for help.
If you are the victim rest several hours, then check sight. If troubles persist & you MUST have help, keep injured eye bandaged, go for help.

GLASSES LOSS, BROKEN, BLURRY VISION; TIP:
Pinhole in paper, held close to the eyes will make it possible to read map etc.
Hopefully if you loose your glasses you will have read this tip beforehand and also carry an extra pair of glasses.

CARE OF THE EYES:
Nature has provided your eyes with a most effective germ killer, your tears. A tear will kill most bacteria & is a defence for your eyes.
Despite this natural protection your eyes may suffer from glare or from entry of a particle of dust or sand.
To protect your eyes from glare, tie a bootlace, or a thin strip of bark or some dark-coloured material, or fire-wood soot across your face just BELOW your eyes.
This will break the glare from the ground & give you almost immediate relief for eyes. If a particle of dust or sand enters the eyes don't rub the particular affected.
Rub the opposite eye, it will stimulate the flow of tears & this will help wash out the irritating matter. Or try cupping water in your hands & immerse your sore eye in the cupped water, it's generally effective.

EYE BANDAGE:
Even when only 1 eye is hurt, both eyes have to be bandaged because they both move simultaneously. So any movement from the uninjured eye makes the other one move by reflex.

EYE PAINS:
A) Wear sunglasses or visor to protect your eyes, because the sun reflection coming from water reinforce the intensity of sun rays giving very rapidly eye soreness. Even in cloudy day.
B) If you start to have sore eyes, don't rub them. Apply on eye lid an antiseptic cream, & a light bandage on BOTH eyes.

Ears

EAR ACHE:
1) Put a bag of ice or hot water bottle on the ear to ease the pain.
2) A few drops of almond oil administered into the ear cavity can be very effective with ear-ache and can also be used to soften and clear ear wax.
3) Permanent ear-ache result probably from an infection and requires medical aid.

FOREIGN OBJECTS IN EAR:
Beans, peas, seed, insects. Etc.
1) Don't put any instrument in the ear.
2) Drown the insect by filling the ear with hot water or oil. (Not too hot)
3) Bring to hospital.

Nose

NOSE & FOREIGN OBJECTS:
1) Don't blow your nose strongly.
2) Bring to hospital.