A corneal abrasion is a cut or scratch on your cornea. The cornea is theclear, protective window at the front of your eye. It lies directly over thecolored part of your eye (called the iris).
What can cause a corneal abrasion?
Many things can cause a corneal abrasion, such as sand, dust, dirt, wood ormetal shavings that get in your eye. The cornea can also be scratched by afingernail, a tree branch or a contact lens. Rubbing your eyes very hard isanother way that an abrasion can occur. Sometimes, if a corneal abrasionhasn't healed properly, it can come back weeks or months after the originalinjury. In some people, the outer layers of the cornea are weak. Thesepeople may get a corneal abrasion for no apparent reason.
How do I know if I have a corneal abrasion?
The cornea is very sensitive, and a corneal abrasion is usually quitepainful. You may feel like you have sand or grit in your eye. You may noticetears or blurred vision, or your eye may look red. You may also notice thatlight hurts your eye. Some people get a headache when they have a cornealabrasion.
What do I do if I get something in my eye?
If you think something has gotten into your eye, first try to wash out theeye by splashing clean water into it. Your workplace may have an eye rinsestation for this purpose. Sometimes, blinking or pulling the upper eyelidover the lower eyelid may remove a particle from under the eyelid. Avoidrubbing your eye. If you or someone else notices something on the white partof your eye, use a soft tissue or cotton swab to gently lift it out of theeye. Don't try to remove something that is directly over the cornea--thismight cause more serious damage. If you can't remove the particle or ifthere doesn't seem to be anything in your eye, call your doctor.
What will my doctor do for a corneal abrasion?
Your doctor will examine your eye for any damage or particles that may betrapped under your eyelid. A yellow-orange dye may be placed on your eye tohelp your doctor see the abrasion. Your doctor will probably treat theabrasion with eye drops or ointment. Most small abrasions heal within one tothree days. You may need to return to your doctor for another exam the nextday.
What if I wear contact lenses?
If you wear contact lenses, you need to be especially careful with a cornealabrasion because you have a higher risk of infection. Your doctor may tellyou not to wear your contact lenses for a few days if you're treating youreye with medicine.
How can I prevent corneal abrasion?
Take the following steps to help prevent corneal abrasions:
- Wear protective eye goggles when you're around machinery that causesparticles of wood, metal or other materials to fly into the air (such as achainsaw or a sandblaster)
- Cut infants' and young children's fingernails short
- Trim low-hanging tree branches
- Use care when putting in contact lenses (AAFP)
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