Dr. Shalu Pal

  • "If you want quality and wonderful service, please go to Dr. Shalu Pal! The patience, care, and true concern that Dr. Pal has for her clients is wonderful. "

    --Seleena J
  • " I was pleasantly surprised by finding a hidden gem within Dr. Pal's office"

    --Naveed
  • "Finally a doctor who is extremely knowledgeable, patient and explains things clearly. She is a wonderful human being who really takes the time to care for your needs. The office has a wonderful atmosphere and the staff are just as helpful as Dr. Pal. "

    --Mikail
  • "I couldn't ask for a better Optometrist. She is a delight to deal with, very patient, helpful and extremely knowledgeable. She was very good with my kids who can be very fussy at times.. And who could ask for a more beautiful location. Highly Recommend! "

    --Natalie M.
  • "My wife and I, highly recommend Dr. Pal. The staff, the service, the merchandise, are all top notch. They really make you feel welcomed. It has been several years since I have been able to see this well !!! You and your staff are the best !!!! "

    --Steve and Maria L.
  • "We barely go to optometrists so when we do, we should look for the best! I am super pleased I chose Dr. Pal\'s office. They were helpful from beginning to end, from booking on the phone to my actual visit. Dr. Pal was very detailed and went in-depth about my eye health. She is very patient and made me feel calm. The optician helped me pick a great pair of glasses, they were genuinely friendly which is a huge bonus."

    --Ahmad S
  • "I have been going to Dr. Pal for several years now. My most recent visit on June 6, 2016 was the best experience there that I have ever had. Firstly, the women on the desk were friendly and efficient - a very good prelude to my examination. Dr. Pal, herself, was, as usual, very thorough and encouraging in her examination. And she puts you at ease before we get into the eyes examination by discussing other things in life. That helps to ease any stress I may have. And they now have a man in the office who does that difficult examination (name of which I do not know!). He is so patient and encouraging and made the exam not so difficult for me this time. After all that, I saw Dr. Pal again before I left and she told me my eyes were good! Even had the news been not so good, I believe that I would be able to handle it because I truly believe that Dr. Pal and her staff would have taken good care of me. I will always go back to Dr. Pal and members of her team because I truly believe"

    --A. Howlett
  • " I have been to a few appointments at Dr. Pal\'s office over the last year for dry eye issues and every time it has been a very positive experience. The 3 receptionists at the front desk are warm and friendly. They are attentive and provide a very high level of customer service. I appreciate that they call me by name and remembered conversations we had at previous visits. I find Dr. Pal to be an excellent practitioner who is very thorough with her exams, has a lovely personality and takes the time to answer any and all questions that may arise. I am happy with the computer glasses I purchased and value the honest opinions I received from the staff when selecting frames. It was refreshing to have multiple opinions on styles and I felt they truly wanted me to walk out with a frame that was best suited to me. I highly recommend Dr. Pal \'s office! As a health care practitioner myself, I think all health care experiences should be this personilzed and friendly!"

    --A. Mclean
Black Eye


Contents

Black Eye

Introduction and Overview

When we are injured by a blow to a body part, for example, if we fall and hit an arm against a railing or other object, the likely result is a bruise, which is caused by broken blood vessels under the skin and bleeding into the tissue in the area. Swelling, a dark blue-black coloration and soreness in the area are common results. The medical term for a bruise is hematoma.

A black eye is also a bruise, and often results from a blunt blow to the area of the face around the eye or eyes. Usually not serious, the force of the impact causes blood vessels to break and form pooling under the skin, especially in the area of the lower lid. In other words, a black eye is a bruise located in the area around the eye. Because the skin is thinner in this area, the color from the broken vessels is more easily seen and appears darker than a bruise elsewhere.

If the blow that causes the black eye is severe, especially if there is a change in vision such as blur, double vision, losing part or all of the visual field, flashes of light or dark spots in the vision, consult an eyecare practitioner without delay. In particular, flashes of light and/or a loss of part of the visual field (often described as "a curtain falling over the vision") should be checked by an eyecare practitioner as soon as possible, because this could indicate a detached retina and is a sight-threatening emergency.

In addition, if the blow to the face is severe enough, the eyeball and the muscles surrounding it may be compressed back into the orbital space and force the thin bones separating the cone- shaped orbit and the surrounding sinuses (spaces within the skull) to break. Occasionally, the muscle tissue may become trapped within the breakage and cause loss of eye motion control, resulting in double vision. If the bones heal without resolving this issue, the double vision may become permanent.

Any blunt force trauma to the head severe enough to cause a black eye should be evaluated by a physician because there is always a possibility of concussion or other serious brain injury.

Often, we think of such injuries as "just a black eye", when, in fact, the results of such an injury can be fairly severe and serious.

Signs and symptoms

Figure 1

The eyelids and soft tissues around the eye will swell and become purplish-red to black. There may be a small break in one of the blood vessels under the conjunctiva, called a sub-conjunctival hemorrhage, which can cause the white of the eye to be bright red. The area around the bruising may be reddened and the tissues may swell dramatically.

(Figure 1 shows a subconjunctival hemorrhage, caused by bleeding beneath the clear skin covering the white of the eye. These vivid bruises often accompany the bruising of a black eye, but can also occur spontaneously.)




Consult your eyecare practitioner right away if you experience any of the following:

  • Any change in vision
  • Flashes of light
  • Showers of black spots
  • Reduced clarity or blurred vision
  • Double vision
  • Redness in the white of the affected eye
  • Trouble moving the eye
  • Numbness on the injured side of the face
  • Appearance of the affected eye to be either bigger than the other, or sunk into its socket
  • Loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting or disorientation

Treatment

Figure 2

To reduce the pain and swelling, gently use cold compresses, using a commercial first-aid product, crushed ice wrapped in a small towel, or a bag of frozen peas or corn wrapped in a small towel. Use the compress for five minutes, remove it and wait two minutes, then repeat the process. Be careful not to press on the eye. Repeat often for comfort and to reduce swelling.

Continue the cold compresses periodically for the first 24 hours, and then use warm compresses for the following three to five days. (A clean washcloth soaked in warm water and wrung out will make a good warm compress. Reheat as necessary.)

A black eye, like any other bruise, will gradually heal and the discoloration will disappear as the leaked blood will be reabsorbed.


(Figure 2 shows a black eye in the course of healing, showing various discolorations as the bruise is resolving.)

Seek medical advice from your eyecare practitioner or your general physician if you notice any of the signs or symptoms listed above.

Summary

Protect your eyes! Ninety percent of eye injuries can be prevented by the use of protective eyewear. Everyday activities such as mowing the lawn or doing hobbies such as woodworking should never be done without eye protection.

Mack: How did you get that black eye?

Jack: Do you see that tree over there?

Mack: Yes, of course.

Jack: Well, I didn't.

All humor aside, protective eyewear is easy to obtain and easy to use. We should all use it just like we should all wear seat belts in our cars, and of course this is even more important for children.

 
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