Corneal abrasions are common injuries caused by trauma, foreign particles, or contact lenses. Symptoms include pain, sensitivity to light, and excessive tears. Mild abrasions heal within two days with home care, but severe cases require medical attention to prevent infection and remove foreign particles. Treatment measures depend on the cause and severity of the injury, including topical antibiotics and bandages.
A corneal abrasion is a puncture, scrape, or scrape on the cornea, the transparent area of the eye that covers the pupil and iris. Abrasions are very common injuries that can be caused by dirt or other particles in the eye, trauma, or irritation from wearing contact lenses. A damaged cornea can make the eye sensitive to light, become red, itchy, and produce excessive tears. Most injuries heal on their own within a few days without treatment, but a severe corneal abrasion may require emergency medical attention to remove foreign particles and prevent infection.
Doctors recognize many types of eye injuries and classify them based on the underlying cause and where the eye is affected. An injury is classified as a corneal abrasion if only the surface layer of corneal tissue is damaged. A scratch can result from direct trauma to the eye, such as being pricked with a finger or hitting a tree branch. Dirt, sawdust, fiberglass shards, and other airborne particles can also enter the eye and cause a corneal abrasion. Also, a contact lens that constantly rubs on the cornea or a condition that causes dry eyes can lead to abrasions.
A person usually notices eye pain soon after an injury. The eye may be sensitive to light, produce tears, and itch for several hours after an injury. Symptoms of a mild corneal abrasion usually go away in less than two days with home care. Sometimes, a foreign particle may be large enough to be seen and carefully removed with the corner of a sterile paper towel or cloth. Rinsing the eye with cool water and using over-the-counter moisturizing drops can help soothe the pain and itching.
If symptoms don’t resolve or vision becomes blurry, an individual should visit the emergency room or an ophthalmologist as soon as possible to receive expert treatment. A doctor can inspect the eye with a specialized magnifying glass and determine the extent of the injury. If eye damage is suspected to be deeper than the corneal layer, doctors may do computed tomography or MRI. Treatment measures depend on the cause and severity of the injury.
If a patient has a foreign object in their eye, the ophthalmologist can remove it using precision surgical tools. Eye scratches and scrapes are treated by giving topical antibiotic drops or creams to prevent infection. A severe abrasion may require the patient to wear a plaster or bandage for several days to prevent irritation from air and light. With immediate treatment, severe corneal abrasions usually heal within two weeks and require no further treatment.
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