The first thing a person needs to do, in order to choose the best eye bandage, is to choose a bandage designed for the type of injury or vision problem that the person has. Soft, non-sterile bandages can be used to keep an eye closed after an injury to the cornea, but sterile bandages should be used if there is an open wound on the person's eye. In some cases, a person may also need an eye bandage that completely prevents light from reaching the eye. Once the correct type of bandage has been selected, many of the other considerations are aesthetic in nature.
Patients who need to make sure that an eye remains closed for a period of time, such as those who have had trauma to the cornea, either through accident or surgery, often use an eye bandage made of a soft, cottony material. When selecting one of these types of bandages, a person should choose a bandage with a texture and material that are not irritating as it may be worn next to the skin for a period of time. If all light needs to be blocked, the material may need to be thick enough to keep the eye in total darkness. Alternatively, an eye patch may need to be worn over the bandage.
Injuries or surgeries to the eye that have caused bleeding often require that an eye bandage be tightly fitted to a patient's eye. These bandages help control swelling and bleeding and keep a patient's eye firmly closed as it is healing. A long strip of bandage wrapped around the patient's head is often used to keep this patch in place. A soft, sturdy material should be used for this type of bandage.
In some cases, a patient may need to wear an eye bandage that blocks light without applying pressure to the eye. These types of eye bandages are usually used to correct vision problems such as lazy eye. Patients often need to wear them for an extended period of time and are able to choose between a variety of colors and patterns.
Patients with open wounds on the eyes or eyelids may also require the use of an eye bandage that is sterile. Using sterile gauze on the affected eye reduces the patient's risk of developing an infection. These types of bandages may also be used to cover a dressing on the wound and may be specially coated so they do not stick to the wound.