Injury and Psychology (Boxing)

Hi folks. This post is broken into two parts. A simple question and a more rambling complex one:

Short part:

I was sparring (boxing) yesterday. I took a light hit on the eye. Its not bruised but today my eye is irritated. Should I be worried and is there much evidence of permanent damage from punches to the eye?

Long part:

I've been boxing around 6 months and before that participated in a variety of martial arts. I've never seen myself as a tough guy but I'm not soft either. I train hard, I don't mind pain, and I've been in enough fights to know what its about.

I find myself in a curious situation. I LOVE sparring. It gives me a huge adrenaline rush. I love the mental game and the physical exertion. I don't mind receiving a few shots as long as I land a few myself, and as long as I feel I learnt something each session.
However, I am also quite protective of my body. I need to be able to think straight for my job. I quite like my nose the shape it is. My fingers need to be in working order for many reasons.

So I find myself caught between a love of boxing (and other martial arts) and a fear of injury. I'm never going to be world champion so I'm trying to find a balance here.

Thanks for any insights.