Ophthalmology: Facts About Corneal Abrasions

One of the most common reasons to make an ophthalmology appointment is a corneal abrasion, which occurs when you scratch the clear, outer layer over your eye. This can be caused by various issues, and may take several days to heal. However, the eye is rather resilient, and even some wounds that seem bad can heal within days. Find out more about one of the most common types of issues dealing with the eyes.

A corneal abrasion is often the result of trauma to the area. For example, you might poke the outer layer with your nail accidentally when putting in or removing a contact. Someone else, including a pet, accidentally poking the area is another cause of this issue. On the other hand, for some patients who make an ophthalmology appointment to solve this injury, the abrasion is the cause of getting a foreign object in the eye. On a windy day, you may get sand, hair, or other small debris in the area, and closing your eyelids only makes it worse since it causes the object to rub against the cornea. Other patients may get recurrent abrasions due to frequent contact usage, in which the contacts bother the cornea, especially after several hours of wear. Finally, having dry eyes can also result in recurrent abrasions, and wearing contacts with this condition can further increase the chances of this issue occurring.

One of the main symptoms of a corneal abrasion is the feeling of a foreign object under the eyelid, as this is the scratched part. Your eyes may also tear up, even to the point of tears going down your face. In most cases, you will also have some discomfort or even pain in the area, as well as redness. Blurry vision usually follows, making it hard to work or drive. At this point, you are encouraged to see an ophthalmologist to get the issue treated quickly. Even though it is fairly common, you need to get it diagnosed so you know that the symptoms can indeed be attributed to a corneal abrasion rather than something else.

Until you can get to an ophthalmology office, you can try to treat it at home by flushing water under your eyelids to get rid of the foreign object, if you believe this is the cause. You can also take acetaminophen to get rid of the pain, and put drops under your eyelids to soothe them. You will be expected to rest the eyeballs, too, so you do not strain them while they attempt to heal. When you get treated at the doctor, you may get antibiotic drops, as well as steroid drops that can prevent inflammation and scarring. You may be given a patch to wear over the eyes while they heal, and will be instructed to rest them as much as possible.

If you have the symptoms of an abrasion to your cornea, do not panic, but try to set up an appointment with an ophthalmologist quickly. You can also start treatment at home while waiting for your appointment if you need to relieve the pain fast.