Black eye

How to ease a black eye yourself

There are things that can help ease a black eye. These include:

Do

• gently hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a clean cloth) to the area around your eye for about 10 to 20 minutes at a time, and repeat regularly during the first 1 to 2 days
• take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for any pain
• after the first 2 days, gently apply a warm (not hot) heat pack or cloth to the area around your eye regularly during the day

Don't

• take aspirin, unless prescribed by a doctor, as this can make the bruising worse
• press or rub the area around your eye
• put ice directly on your skin

When to see your GP

You should see your GP  if you have a black eye and:

• you have severe pain or swelling
• you have a headache that doesn't go away, or blurry vision
• the area around your eye is warm or leaking pus
• your temperature is very high, or you feel hot and shivery
• it doesn't go away within 3 weeks

Ask for an urgent appointment if you have a black eye and:

• you're taking blood-thinning medication (such as warfarin)
• you have a bleeding disorder (such as haemophilia)

When to seek immediate medical help

You should go to your nearest emergency department if:

• there's blood visible in your eye
• you have an irregularly shaped pupil (the black dot at the centre of the eye)
• you had a blow to the head and have bruising around both eyes
• you have problems with your vision, such as double vision, loss of vision, seeing flashing light, halos or shadows, or pain when looking at a bright light
• you can't move your eye

More useful links

• How to use your health services
• Eye injuries