What is a corneal abrasion?
A corneal abrasion refers to a scratch of the front clear surface of the eye, the cornea. The cornea covers the colored iris and the round pupil. Light is focused while passing through the cornea so we can see.

What causes a corneal abrasion?
A corneal abrasion is usually the result of direct injury to the eye, often from sand, dust, dirt, wood or metal shavings, a fingernail, makeup brushes, a tree branch or a contact lens. Rubbing your eyes very hard can also scratch the cornea. Sometimes, if a corneal abrasion hasn't healed properly, it can come back weeks or months after the original injury. In some people, the outer layers of the cornea are weak. These people may get a corneal abrasion for no apparent reason.

How do I know if I have a corneal abrasion?
A corneal abrasion is usually quite painful. A feeling of having sand or grit in your eye is common. You may have tears, blurred vision or redness in your eye. It's possible that light will hurt the affected eye, or that you'll get a headache.

Your doctor will check your vision in both eyes with an eye chart, and examine your eye for any damage or particles that may be trapped under your eyelid. A patient history will also be taken, which may help to determine the cause of the abrasion. A slit lamp – a microscope and light source – will allow the doctor to see the abrasion. To help make the abrasion visible, a yellow-orange dye may be placed on your eye.

How is it treated?
The cornea has a remarkable ability to heal itself, so treatment is designed to minimize complications. If the abrasion is very small, the doctor might suggest an eye lubricant and a follow-up visit the next day. A very small abrasion should heal in one to two days; others usually in one week.

To avoid a possible infection, an antibiotic eye drop may be prescribed. Sometimes additional eye drops may make the eye feel more comfortable. Depending on the extent of the abrasion, some doctors may patch the affected eye. It is very important to go for the follow-up checkup to make sure an infection does not occur.

What if I wear contact lenses?
If you wear contact lenses, you need to be especially careful with a corneal abrasion because you have a higher risk of infection. Your doctor may tell you not to wear your contact lenses for a few days if you're treating your eye with medicine.

How can I prevent a corneal abrasion?
Take these steps:

• Wear protective eye goggles when you're around machinery that causes particles of wood, metal or other materials to fly into the air (such as a chainsaw or a sandblaster).
• Cut infants' and young children's fingernails short.
• Trim low-hanging tree branches.
• Use care when putting in contact lenses.

Consult an Eye Care Associates doctor
If you or a family member might have a corneal abrasion, make an appointment with an experienced eye doctor at Eye Care Associates of Greater Cincinnati.