Recently, broadcaster and writer Heo Ji-woong surprised viewers by uploading a picture of black bruises around his eyes on his social network service (SNS). He said he slipped while leaving the bathroom and got his face stamped on the floor in front of the threshold.
An orbital fracture refers to a fracture of the orbital bone, which is the bone that makes up the skeleton and floor of the eye space. Facial bones, including the orbital bone, are thinner and relatively weaker than other bones, making them prone to injury. In particular, the orbital bone is very thin and can easily break even with a small impact.
Orbital fractures may not show any outward symptoms, especially as the extent of the fracture is wide, the symptoms do not appear more. When the orbit is fractured, the surrounding fat, muscles, etc. protrude out. If the fracture site is small, these contents may get stuck between the bones, causing movement disorders or pain. because there is
Although minor orbital fractures do not require surgery in some cases, it is important not to miss the timing of treatment as there may be no symptoms in the early stages and problems may arise after time passes. It is best to see a doctor immediately after an eye injury. An orbital fracture should be suspected if the senses of the lower eyelid, nose, upper lip, etc. are lost, or if double vision symptoms appear, such as seeing objects overlapping in two.
If an orbital fracture is suspected, be careful not to blow your nose as much as possible. Blowing your nose can cause orbital emphysema, in which air enters the orbit through the fractured area, or puffy eyes.
The golden time for orbital fracture surgery is two weeks. It is desirable to perform surgery within 2 weeks after the swelling subsides and the damage is stabilized. If left unattended for more than two weeks, the orbital tissue hardens at the deformed position, making surgery difficult and recovery slow.
Last year, soccer player Son Heung-min became a hot topic by participating in all World Cup matches despite undergoing surgery for an orbital fracture. At the time, he showed his fighting spirit while wearing a black face mask, less than a month after undergoing surgery. A British medical expert said, “Son Heung-min’s participation in the World Cup was a gamble” while watching him even shoot a header.
In fact, the recovery period for an orbital fracture is about 4 to 6 weeks, and at least one month of rest is required. During this period, physical shock such as excessive exercise, nose blowing, or eye pressure should be avoided. When you sneeze, open your mouth to reduce eye pressure as much as possible.
Reporter Kim Soo-young Hankyung.com swimmingk@hankyung.com
