Black Eye

What Is It?

A black eye, or "shiner," is a bruise around the eye. When an object strikes the eye, the force of the impact breaks delicate blood vessels in the eyelids and surrounding tissues. Blood collects under the skin, and causes a black or blue discoloration in the eyelids and around the eye socket. Because the skin around the eye is relatively thin and transparent compared to skin in other parts of the body, the black and blue color of a bruised eye may seem darker and more intense than bruises elsewhere.

Although many people associate black eyes with fighting and violence, in reality, only about 15 percent of eye injuries are caused by violent assaults. Most black eyes happen by accident — during contact sports, at work, in a car crash or while performing home repair projects. Men get about four times more eye injuries than women do, and the average patient is approximately 30 years old. The source of the injury is usually a blunt object — a baseball, a hammer, a rock or a piece of lumber — and the most frequent place of injury is the home. At one time, it was also common for eye injuries to occur in motor vehicle accidents, usually when a victim's face struck the dashboard. However, the number of eye injuries caused by car crashes has decreased significantly because of airbags and the mandatory use of seat belts.

Almost 2.5 million traumatic eye injuries occur each year in the United States. Most black eyes are superficial injuries that cause no permanent damage to the eye or to the tissues that surround it. When vision changes after a blow to the eye, it is a warning sign that the injury may be more than a simple bruise. The force of the blow may have fractured the delicate bones that form the eye socket, or the structure of the eye itself may be damaged.

Symptoms

A black eye causes swelling and black-and-blue discoloration of the eyelids and soft tissues around the eye. There also may be redness and small areas of bleeding on the white of the eye and on the inner lining of the eyelids.

Diagnosis

You usually can diagnose a black eye yourself based on your symptoms and whether your eye was struck.

Expected Duration

Most of the swelling and discoloration go away within seven to 10 days after injury. The color of the skin around the eye will change over the course of recovery, typically showing green and yellow tones as the blood ages and is cleared from the tissue.

Prevention

Almost all eye injuries can be prevented. To decrease your risk of eye injuries: