Black eye | 1st Choice Pharmacy Health Advice

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Black eye

A black eye is bruising and swelling around your eye, usually caused by a blow to the area, such as a punch or fall. It should get better within 2 to 3 weeks.

Things you can do yourself to ease a black eye

There are things you can do yourself to ease any pain or swelling from a black eye.

Do

gently hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a cloth to the area around your eye for about 10 to 20 minutes at a time, and repeat regularly during the first 1 to 2 days
take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, for any pain
after the first 2 days, gently apply a warm (not hot) heat pack or cloth to the area around your eye regularly during the day

Don't

do not take aspirin unless prescribed by a doctor, as this can make the bruising worse
do not press or rub the area around your eye
do not put ice directly on your skin

See a GP if:

a black eye does not go away within 3 weeks

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

You have a black eye and:

you have a headache that does not go away, or blurry vision
the area around your eye is warm or leaking pus
your temperature is very high, or you feel hot and shivery
you're taking blood-thinning medicine (such as warfarin)
you have a bleeding disorder (such as haemophilia)

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Go to A&E if:

you can see blood in your eye
you have an irregularly shaped pupil (the black dot at the centre of the eye)
you had a blow to the head and have bruising around both eyes
you had a blow to the head and lost consciousness or have been sick (vomited)
you have problems with your vision, such as double vision, loss of vision, seeing flashing light, halos or shadows, or pain when looking at a bright light
you cannot move your eye

Find your nearest A&E

Last Reviewed
04 August 2023