If you happen to wear contact lenses and have a corneal abrasion, you may need to refrain from contact use for at least 24 hours after diagnosis and treatment. The aftermath of a corneal abrasion can range from the simple to the complex.
Checking with an eye doctor is important regardless of the severity due to the issues a damaged cornea can present. Contact Us Call Us: A look at the long term damage of a scratched cornea. Do not apply hot or cold pads to the area unless instructed to by an eye doctor. They may use numbing eye drops that will help you keep your eye open during an exam.
They may also use a special eye drop that will help them to view the extent of the damage with a blue light and slit lamp.
Neither of these diagnostic procedures will cause you any pain. If your eye doctor suspects a possible infection in or near the abrasion, they may swipe your eye with a swab that can be tested for cultures. Depending on the results, they may give you antibiotic drops to help clear away the infection. For more severe corneal abrasions, you may be given an antibiotic ointment to apply to the affected eye for a few days.
You may even be given a bandage lens to use with your prescription eye drops. If used properly, they can speed up the healing process. If your symptoms are severe, you may have a corneal laceration, in which case you absolutely have to see your eye doctor right away.
Many of the symptoms of a corneal abrasion, such as pain and photophobia, are also present when you have a corneal laceration.
The biggest difference? Corneal lacerations are partial or full cuts across the cornea. Unlike corneal abrasions, which can be caused by microscopic objects, corneal lacerations are caused by sharp or forceful objects hitting the eye directly.
Corneal lacerations require surgery to seal the cut and protect the eye from infection. They are much more likely to cause vision damage or loss than abrasions. After surgery, you may have to wear an eye patch for a week or two and take medication for the pain. Your eye doctor will want to schedule follow-up appointments to check for related issues like detached retinas and glaucoma.
Some people are more at risk of corneal abrasions than others. People who work in construction, factory, or laboratory settings and athletes tend to be the most at risk.
Anytime you are in a situation that puts your eyes at risk, wear the appropriate protective gear. Secure and well-fitting goggles are the best way to prevent corneal abrasions. If you wear contact lenses, make sure you are cleaning them daily, taking them out to sleep, and replacing them when needed. If they feel dry or appear dirty, clean them more thoroughly or allow them to soak in solution longer.
These muscle spasms may irritate your trigeminal nerve and increase light sensitivity. Keeping your lights dim may help you avoid irritating your eye. Dimming your screens may also help reduce your eye pain. Even a minor scratch can be painful due to the high concentrations of nerve endings in your cornea.
Some of the signs that you may have scratched your cornea include:. Treatment for a scratched eye starts with rinsing your eye with a sterile saline solution or eyedrops right away to clear any particles.
Blinking rapidly may also help clear your eye. Your eye doctor may give you prescription numbing eyedrops to help manage pain and light sensitivity. Prescription steroid eyedrops can also help reduce inflammation and scarring. An eye doctor can put a dye called fluorescein in your eye that highlights the scratch under a device called a slit lamp. This dye helps them figure out the seriousness of the injury and give you the best treatment.
Most of the time, a scratched cornea is a minor injury that will heal by itself. Due to the high density of nerve endings in your cornea, even a small injury can be painful. If the pain is still affecting your sleep, you may benefit from taking pain relievers before bed. They are usually preventable but cause severe irritation and inflammation when they occur. They look like a gray or white area on the cornea, ranging in levels of opacity.
Most ulcers occur due to bacterial infections. Because of this, ointments and eye drops are often used to heal the ulcer. Other treatments depend on the nature of the ulcer. The bottom line with a cornea injury is to always seek medical attention. You never know when a corneal abrasion or a corneal ulcer may affect your vision. Concerned that you may have suffered a corneal injury?
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