A broken eye socket after a crash: what it means for your vision
Advice from an oculoplastic surgeon and an orthoptist on sight and eye movement
The orbit is the bony socket that holds your eye. A crash can crack its thin floor or one of its other walls. Swelling can hide where the eye will finally sit. A muscle or other tissue nearby may get caught in the break. [1, 2]
An oculoplastic surgeon checks both the eye and the socket. An orthoptist measures how well your eyes move and how much double vision you have. The broken bone and any harm to the eyeball are separate problems. Each needs its own exam. [1, 2]
Find out what the exam turned up
Ask where the bone broke. Find out whether your eye movement is limited and whether the eyeball itself was hurt. Tell your care team if you see double. Say whether it happens when you look straight ahead, when you look up or down, or during daily tasks. Ask if numbness in your cheek or upper lip is expected. [1, 2]
For some people, things get better as the swelling goes down. Others need an operation to repair the socket if eye movement or the eye’s position is still a problem. [1, 2]
Hold off on blowing your nose
Do not blow your nose while the bone heals unless your care team says it’s safe. The pressure can force air into the tissue around the eye. Ask what limits apply to sneezing, flying, exercise and work in your own case. [1]
If surgery is planned, ask why it’s needed and when it will happen. Also ask how much double vision might be left afterward. Go to every eye clinic and orthoptist appointment. [1]
Eye changes that need urgent care
Get urgent eye care if your vision gets worse or your eye pain is severe or growing. The same is true if you can no longer move the eye or the swelling gets worse fast. Nausea or feeling faint when it hurts to move the eye also needs urgent care. Do not drive while double vision makes it unsafe to judge distance. [1, 2]
Questions for your eye team
- Was the eyeball hurt along with the socket?
- Is any tissue trapped in the break? Are you considering surgery?
- Who will recheck my eye movement and double vision?
Keep a double vision diary
Sources and further reading
- 1University Hospitals Sussex orbital fractures patient information
- 2American Academy of Ophthalmology orbital floor fracture
This overview is general and reflects the view of oculoplastic surgery and orthoptics. Get urgent care for any new loss of vision or severe eye symptoms. Follow the instructions from your own surgeon.
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