During an eye injury, you should place a gauze pad or cloth over what and secure with a bandage?

• A. the eye
• B. the nose
• C. the ear
• D. the mouth

Answer: (A)

Protecting the injured eye is the priority. When an eye injury occurs, place a sterile gauze pad or clean cloth over the affected eye to shield it from light, debris, and further rubbing, then loosely secure it with a bandage around the head so the dressing stays in place without pressing on the eyeball. This helps prevent additional damage and reduces the risk of infection while you seek professional care. The other areas (nose, ear, mouth) don’t protect the eye and wouldn’t help treat the injury. If there’s a foreign object in the eye, don’t remove it; if a chemical splashes in, rinse with clean water or saline and seek help.