I Have a Black Eye - Help! :(

Updated on March 04, 2016
J.H. asks from Westfield, NJ
12 answers

Wow - I haven't been on Mamapedia for a while!

Yesterday my dog wrapped her leash around my legs and I fell, eventually hitting the ground with my browbone. I immediately got a goose egg (totally giving me a misshapen head - my kids were slightly horrified!). That swelling has gone down but of course sleeping last night pooled all the blood in my eye socket so I've got a crazy black eye with swelling and puffiness now on my eyelid rather than the side of my head.

A friend mentioned Arnica which I'm going to pick up today (can I use it near my eye?). Any other suggestions to make myself not quite so frightening? Will icing it more today help with the swelling? At some point I'll be able to makeup-away the bruise, but right now I'm more concerned with the swelling. Thanks!

Edited to add: I did go to the doctor yesterday. Everything is totally fine - just hit my head in a spot with no space for a bruise to form.

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Featured Answers

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Ouch!

Ice for the swelling. 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off. That works for about a day or 2. Talk to the pharmacist about what you can use near the eye and whether it's effective. Mostly (sorry to say) it just takes time for the blood to be absorbed.

Otherwise - dark glasses! Hang in there!

4 moms found this helpful

More Answers

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

arnica, yes, and ice. and a sense of humor. stockpile a stash of excellent response to make. it's a pity the moon's so far from full, because turning into a werewolf is a great place to start.
good luck, hon, and nice to see you back!
khairete
S.

5 moms found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Tell them "you should see the other mom!" Ha ha, old joke, just kidding. I'm so sorry. Along with the dark glasses, I'd add a favorite baseball cap for the weekend. Hope it heals quickly. Glad you and the dog are both ok. =)

3 moms found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Detroit on

an eye patch and some other pirate related accessories to distract the person looking at you?? Just kidding. Seriously, people fall and get bruised and other people understand that. I say lots of ice, and lots of rest and maybe take Monday off for good measure?

I'm glad you saw your doc. head injuries are nothing to minimize, just ask those former NFL players. I hope you feel better soon. :-) S.

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M.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Ice for sure. It will help for 48 hours. Then make up. I had one a few years ago - got it literally a few hours before getting on a plane to go to a professional conference. I looked awful, I just tried to cover up the worst of it. And cracked a lot of jokes to laugh it off all week as I met new people and they got that "horrified but afraid to say anything" look. I found it easiest to address the elephant in the room.

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D..

answers from Miami on

I really think you should see the doctor. An urgent care clinic with some hospital equipment or the ER would be your best bet. You should have your eye examined. You don't seem to realize that you could actually lose your eyesight, J..

I had a spontaneous torn retina a few months ago, and the hospital would not let me leave or even wait for my husband to come - they wanted to repair it immediately. If it had detached, I would have had to have some really unpleasant surgical procedures. After that, I found out a friend of mine much younger than me has had to have 4 of them done in the last six months because his detached.

Please don't play around with your eye! Mine wasn't because of an injury, but they told me that a lot of retinal tears and detachments are because of injuries. Your eye is precious. Go today!

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

Ice and ibuprofen, our doberman jumped up not realizing my husband was leaning over him, and the sagital crest(bony lump on top of head) popped my husband in his eyebrow, he had an egg sized swelling hanging down obstructing his vision by the time he stood up, it was BAD. Ibuprofen around the clock for several days and ice 20 min on, 20 min off as often as you're able the first 48 hours... Feel better soon and eat with the ibuprofen.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

I know witch hazel will help with a bruise but I don't know if it can be used so close to your eye. Talk to your pharmacist, he/she will be able to give you good advice.

Otherwise ice and rest. At least it's Friday and you can hide over the weekend.

1 mom found this helpful

D.D.

answers from Boston on

Icing will help a bit. You can massage the bruise to break it up and help circulation so your body will absorb the blood quicker.

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from St. Louis on

I got several black eyes when my son went through his night terror period. The right makeup works though I can't remember the exact brand of spackle I used.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

Best thing is ice.

Updated

Best thing is ice.

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M.A.

answers from Dallas on

pancake stick...and you might want to save the days off for the yellow-green phase of the bruise. it looks worse and gets alot more attention.

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