A hyphema (bleeding in the eye) is a serious eye injury that can lead to other problems, including vision loss. Your child needs to be checked often. This way, the health care provider makes sure the hyphema (high-FEE-muh) is getting better and other problems don't happen. Continue to come for follow-up care visits as recommended by your health care provider.

• Use any eye drops or medicines as directed by your health care provider.
• If your health care provider says to continue to limit activity, have your child:
  • Lie quietly with their head raised in bed or on a couch. Only allow your child to get up to use the bathroom.
  • Limit bending their head forward or down.
  • Keep the injured eye protected with an eye shield.
  • Sleep face-up with their head raised.
  • Avoid reading or texting or other activities that require looking at something up close, like using computers, tablets, and smartphones.
• Your child may watch TV.
• Don't let your child participate in gym class, sports, or strenuous activity until your health care provider says it's OK. After being cleared for sports, your child should wear protective eyewear.
• If your child has pain, you may give acetaminophen (Tylenol® or store brand). Don't give aspirin or non-steroidal medicines such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or store brand).

Your child can't follow the health care provider's guidance on limiting activity.

• Your child has new or worsening:
  • eye pain
  • changes in vision
  • light sensitivity
  • nausea or vomiting
  • blood in the eye
• Your child sees flashes of light or small "floating" spots, or can't see.

What problems can happen from a hyphema? A hyphema can lead to:

• rebleeding, when blood pools into the eye again
• glaucoma, a dangerous increase in eye pressure
• cataract, a cloudy lens inside the eye
• damaged eye nerve from the force of the injury
• retinal detachment, when the retina (the thin layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) pulls away from its normal position
• mydriasis, a dilated or enlarged pupil