An eye bruise (also called an eye contusion or a black eye) happens when small blood vessels under the skin leak blood after an injury. The trapped blood shows as red or purple marks on the skin. A bruise may be swollen and usually hurts when touched, especially for the first few days after the injury.

As bruises heal, they may turn different colors as they fade away. Most are gone after two weeks.

For 2–3 days, to help with pain and swelling:

• If your health care provider says it's OK, give your child medicines like acetaminophen (Tylenol^® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand). Follow the directions on the label for how much to give and how often. Don't give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months old.
• Place ice wrapped in a towel on the bruise for about 20 minutes several times a day. Do not put ice directly on the skin. Be careful not to put pressure on the eye when doing this.
• If your child is old enough to use a pillow (usually after moving from a crib to a toddler bed at around 2–3 years old), raise their head with a pillow or two during sleep.

Follow your health care provider's advice for:

• Any activities to avoid
• When to follow up

• The pain or swelling gets worse.
• Within 2 weeks:
  • The bruise and pain haven't gone away.
  • Your child seems to have a lot of bruises or gets bruises for no clear reason.

Your child:

• Has tingling or loses feeling in the injured area
• Complains about blurry or double vision
• Can't move the eye up or down or side-to-side

How do health care providers diagnose an eye bruise? Health care providers carefully examine the injured area and ask about what happened. Usually no testing is needed, but sometimes they order an X-ray or other imaging study to make sure there are no other injuries.

How do bruises heal? Bruises usually go away in two weeks. While it heals, the bruise changes color as the body breaks down the blood:

• At first, a bruise looks red or pink because of the trapped blood under the skin.
• Within 1–2 days, the bruise will look bluish-purple or even sometimes black.
• After 5–10 days, the bruise looks green or yellow.
• After 10–14 days, the bruise may turn yellow-brown or light brown.

Can eye bruises be prevented? Most kids will get bruises from time to time. But it can help to:

• Wear protective eye gear during sports. Regular eyeglasses may not protect the eyes from injury. 
• Use proper technique during sports and practices.
• Keep floors clear of clutter or things your child can trip on.