Traumatic Black Eye
A black eye is a bruise around the eye. After a traumatic blow, blood and other fluids collect in the space around the eye, causing discoloration and swelling.
Most black eyes should get better within 2 to 3 weeks with self care.
However, some black eyes may indicate a more serious injury, such as a fracture to the thin bones around the eye, skull fracture, or even internal injury to the eye.
Bad black eyes
Call a doctor immediately if the black eye is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:
Bruising around both eyes
Bleeding in the eye
Bleeding or clear fluid dripping from the nose
Nausea or vomiting
A headache that does not go away
Severe pain or swelling
Decreased vision, blurry vision, or double vision
Presence of blood in the white or colored parts of the eye
Flashing lights or spots seen by one eye that travel with your field of view as you move your eye
A cut on the eyelid or the inside surface of the eye
Numbness in the cheek or upper teeth on the same side as the injured eye
A high fever or chills
Home treatment of black eye
To take care of an uncomplicated black eye injury:
Apply cold compresses or a cloth filled with ice to the eye as soon as possible for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, once every hour, for the first 24 hours.
After 24 hours, apply warm compresses to the eye. Continue compresses until the swelling stops.
Keep the head elevated to decrease the amount of swelling.
References
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/black-eye
https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/black-eye-a-to-z
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/eye-injury-black-eye