What is a corneal abrasion or a corneal foreign body?
The cornea is the clear layer at the front of your eye. An abrasion is a shallow scratch. So a corneal abrasion is a scratch to your cornea.
A corneal foreign body is an object, such as a grain of sand, that gets stuck in your cornea and irritates it.
A minor corneal abrasion usually heals on its own in a few days
A corneal foreign body needs to be removed by a doctor
Sometimes an injury to your cornea can get infected—this is more likely to happen if injury was caused by a piece of soil or plant matter
Eyedrops or ointment help prevent infection
See a doctor as soon as possible if you think you have a corneal scratch or something in your cornea.
An Inside Look at the Eye
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What causes a corneal abrasion or foreign body?
Anything that can get into your eye can cause corneal problems. Small bits of material, such as particles in the air, may get blown into your eye by:
Strong winds
An explosion
Working with tools, especially drills, saws, and grinding tools
Your cornea can also get scratched by a:
Tree branch
Fingernail
Hairbrush
Make-up applicator
Contact lenses are a common source of problems. You may have corneal problems if you:
Wear contact lenses that don’t fit well
Wear lenses when your eyes are dry
Wear dirty lenses
Leave lenses in your eyes too long or sleep with them in
Scratch your cornea while taking your lenses out
People with dry eyes have a higher risk of getting a corneal abrasion. Those who work in places where small particles fly around in the air have a higher risk of getting a corneal abrasion or corneal foreign object.
What are the symptoms of a corneal abrasion or foreign body?
Common symptoms include:
A feeling that there's something in your eye
Increased tearing
Increased blinking and squinting
Redness
If you have a large or deep abrasion, you may also have:
Eye pain
Blurry vision
Discomfort from bright light
Headache
How can doctors tell if I have a corneal abrasion or foreign body?
Doctors can tell if you have a corneal injury by examining your eye. After they check your vision, they'll put a drop of dye in your eye and then look at your eye with a special light. The dye runs into the abrasion and the light makes it glow, which helps show a scratch or foreign body in your cornea. Eye doctors use a special magnifying scope (slit lamp) to look at the cornea.
How do doctors treat a corneal abrasion or foreign body?
Doctors treat corneal abrasions with:
Antibiotic drops or ointments
Eyedrops to lessen inflammation
Pain medicine, such as acetaminophen
Doctors treat corneal foreign bodies by taking out the object. Doctors will:
Give you a medicine to numb your eye first
Remove the object by flushing it out with water or gently lifting it out on a sterile cotton swab
Sometimes, if needed, use a needle or special tool to take out the object
Give you medicines to prevent infection and lessen pain
If you wear contact lenses, don't wear them for awhile. Your cornea needs to heal. Your doctor will let you know when it's okay to wear them again.
How can I prevent corneal abrasions and foreign bodies?
You can prevent corneal abrasions and corneal foreign bodies by:
Wearing safety glasses that protect your eyes when needed
Being careful putting on makeup or using contact lenses
If you feel something in your eye:
Rinse your eye with clean water
Blink a few times
Avoid rubbing your eye
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Generic Name | Select Brand Names |
|---|---|
acetaminophen |
7T Gummy ES, Acephen, Aceta, Actamin, Adult Pain Relief, Anacin Aspirin Free, Apra, Children's Acetaminophen, Children's Pain & Fever , Comtrex Sore Throat Relief, ED-APAP, ElixSure Fever/Pain, Feverall, Genapap, Genebs, Goody's Back & Body Pain, Infantaire, Infants' Acetaminophen, LIQUID PAIN RELIEF, Little Fevers, Little Remedies Infant Fever + Pain Reliever, Mapap, Mapap Arthritis Pain, Mapap Infants, Mapap Junior, M-PAP, Nortemp, Ofirmev, Pain & Fever , Pain and Fever , PAIN RELIEF , PAIN RELIEF Extra Strength, Panadol, PediaCare Children's Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever, PediaCare Children's Smooth Metls Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever, PediaCare Infant's Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever, Pediaphen, PHARBETOL, Plus PHARMA, Q-Pap, Q-Pap Extra Strength, Silapap, Triaminic Fever Reducer and Pain Reliever, Triaminic Infant Fever Reducer and Pain Reliever, Tylenol, Tylenol 8 Hour, Tylenol 8 Hour Arthritis Pain, Tylenol 8 Hour Muscle Aches & Pain, Tylenol Arthritis Pain, Tylenol Children's, Tylenol Children's Pain+Fever, Tylenol CrushableTablet, Tylenol Extra Strength, Tylenol Infants', Tylenol Infants Pain + Fever, Tylenol Junior Strength, Tylenol Pain + Fever, Tylenol Regular Strength, Tylenol Sore Throat, XS No Aspirin, XS Pain Reliever |
