An orbital blowout fracture occurs when the floor of the orbit is fractured and loses its shape. When this happens, the patient’s eye area becomes disfigured, the eye cannot move properly, or may even sink into the skull or orbit.
Orbital blowout fractures are among the most serious injuries a person can suffer in a car accident. These injuries are extremely painful and require immediate and extensive treatment.
Orbital Blowout Fracture
An orbital blowout fracture is a fracture of one or more of the facial bones that surround the eye. The bones surrounding the eye are known as the orbit, the part of the skull that houses the eye. An orbital blowout fracture occurs when the floor of the orbit is fractured and loses its shape. When this happens, the patient’s eye area becomes disfigured, the eye cannot move properly, or may even sink into the skull or orbit. This injury requires immediate treatment and can cause permanent vision loss. (If you are unable to return to work after a car accident, pursue compensation for lost wages.)
Causes of Orbital Blowout Fractures
It takes a lot of force to cause an orbital blowout fracture. This type of injury can occur when there is a traumatic injury to the face either on the side of the skull or head-on. Causes of orbital blowout fractures in car accidents include:
- trucking accidents
- airbag injuries
- ejection through the windshield
- rollover car accidents
- head-on collisions
- hitting the side of the car door
- foreign objects in the car or coming through the windshield
- crushing injuries in the vehicle
- hitting the windshield or steering wheel
Symptoms of Orbital Blowout Fracture
- tenderness, swelling and bruising around the eye
- redness of the eye
- ordiplopia – a condition in which the patient sees two images at the same time
- numbness of the cheek, teeth, or nose
- double vision
- nosebleeds
Types of Orbital Blowout Fractures
Orbital blowout fractures are classified on the basis of location (back or front), size (big or small), tissue or muscle entrapped in a fracture, bone displaced or not, and accompanying symptoms such as eye position, pain, and double vision.
A simple orbital fracture may cause minimal double vision minimal interference with eye movements. Such fractures can be easily treated without any long-term effects. Treatments include the use of ice to decrease swelling, avoidance of noise blowing, decongestants to help drainage of fluid and blood accumulating in the sinuses, oral antibiotics, and oral steroids. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
St. Louis Car Crash Attorney
If you have sustained an orbital blowout fracture in a car accident, chances are that you will require extensive treatment. Consult a St. Louis car crash attorney to help you recover appropriate damages for your injuries. Call The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. at (314) 361-4242.