# My eyeball is swollen **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009 "2010-06-30T00:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/1 "2010-06-30T00:44:08Z")
This morning I woke up with an odd headache that seemed to be centered around my eyeball. When I looked in the mirror, I noticed that my eyeball was swollen very slightly around the iris. Is this important? I took an Advil, and the pain is gone but now it looks like I scratched the eyeball. Is this serious enough to go to a doctor? I ate an insane amount of fat and salt the past couple of days, could that be a factor? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/2 "2010-06-30T00:45:06Z")
I’d go get it checked, but I’m also reading a book on Super MRSA right now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/3 "2010-06-30T01:50:01Z")
Just because you have two eyeballs doesnt mean you can think of one as spare. Try running around a bit with a hand over one eye. Does that seem like fun? Then think what its like to have one eye and what deep doo doo you’d be in if THAT one gets messed up. Seriously, how important is your eyesight to you? Get this thing checked out post haste! IMO of course. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/4 "2010-06-30T02:13:32Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Is this serious enough to go to a doctor? \*\*YES! \*\* So do it. NOW! ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/5 "2010-06-30T02:21:34Z")
Wow. I’m as much of a “only go to the doctor when absolutely necessary” kinda guy as is every other guy, but this thread and the “it burns when I pee” thread in GQ really have me wondering. When something important is wonky–go to the doctor, fer chrissakes. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/6 "2010-06-30T07:12:03Z")
Have you seen or read Xmen? If so, did you like the character Cyclops? For your sake, I sure hope you did. …See a doctor, you idgit! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/7 "2010-06-30T07:28:56Z")
I feel your pain. I suffer from recurrent corneal erosion, which means I get corneal abrasions a lot. Go to the ophthalmologist. He’ll likely stain your cornea and look at it with a blue-light. If he finds your cornea is scratched, he’ll probably put in a protective contact lens so it doesn’t get irritated and prescribe you antibiotic eyedrops so it doesn’t get infected. It’ll probably clear up in a week or two. Corneal abrasions heal quickly. So, quick and easy. The treatment doesn’t even hurt. Don’t let this go. You don’t want to risk scarring or infection, which will get in the way of the aforementioned healing, and lead to bad things. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/8 "2010-06-30T13:26:14Z")
**Yes, get to a doctor ASAP!** ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/9 "2010-06-30T13:28:06Z")
Is the white of your eye swollen? I’ve had that happen and it’s quite painful. Yep, go to an eye doctor, and rest a lot. It makes you very tired. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/10 "2010-06-30T13:40:12Z")
Jumping Jesus on a Pogo Stick! Yes, it’s important and you should go to the ER right fricken now, if you don’t have an opthomologist on speed dial. Turn off the computer and get going! And yeah, I’m also an anti-doctor-for-everything person (I wouldn’t immediately send someone with burning on urination to a doc, for example). But you don’t fuck around with swollen eyeballs. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-eyeball-is-swollen/545009/11 "2010-06-30T13:45:46Z")
**Superhal** , you really need to go to a doctor. Nobody here can see your eyeball or can diagnose you. I hope you get it seen to and recover quickly. I’m closing the thread. G’wan now. Get to the doctor, **Ellen Cherry IMHO Moderator**