Corneal abrasion: symptoms, causes and treatment

What is corneal abrasion

Corneal abrasion is scratching the surface of the cornea due to a foreign object. The cornea is a transparent liquid layer on the outside of the eyeball that acts as a "shield". Together with the vitreous and retina, the cornea helps focus the light reflected from the object being seen towards the retina inside the eyeball.

Foreign objects that enter the eye, such as dust, grains of sand, small insects, can stick to the cornea. If not treated properly, this disease can cause permanent corneal damage.

How common is this condition?

This eye disease is one of the most common forms of eye injury. This condition can appear suddenly at any age and during normal activities, such as driving, exercising, or repairing goods.

Corneal abrasion signs and symptoms

Mostly, if there is a foreign object in the cornea, the eye will be red, sore, and sensitive to light. Vision may become blurred temporarily.

Some other signs that you have a corneal abrasion are:

• Reddened, heated, irritated, sore eyes
• Watery eyes
• Impaired eyesight
• The muscles around the eyes are constantly moving.

Some of the other symptoms or signs may not be listed above. If you feel anxious about these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.

When should I see a doctor?

When a foreign object gets stuck in the eye, see a doctor for the best treatment.

• Children: call the pediatrician if the child has vision problems, sore eyes, red or watery eyes
• Adults: see a doctor if you cannot remove a foreign object from your eye or feel your eyes are sticking out even though you have removed the foreign object in your eye, or have blurry vision, bleeding

The doctor will guide and provide care to prevent sudden corneal abrasion.

Causes of corneal abrasion

There are many causes of sudden corneal abrasion. Foreign objects flying or sticking in the eye are the main cause of corneal abrasion.

Foreign objects such as dust, sand particles that have long stuck to the eyelids can scratch the cornea when blinking.

Cigarette smoke, wearing contact lenses for too long, rubbing the eyes or direct contact with sunlight can also cause corneal abrasion.

Risk factors

Quoted from Harvard Health Publishing, although corneal abrasion can affect anyone at any age, there are several factors that can put you at more risk than others.

Some things that can increase your risk of corneal abrasion include:

• Babies who accidentally scratch their eyes with long nails
• School children playing with pencils, pens, or other sharp objects
• Athletes who exercise without wearing goggles to protect against dust, sand or accidental scratches from other players' fingers
• More corneal scratches occur in baseball and football than in any other sport
• People who have hobbies or crafts that use sharp tools, such as sewing and carving wood. Carpentry and gardening can also increase the risk of scratching the cornea of ​​the eye
• Workers who are exposed to eye hazards at work, especially those involved in agriculture or construction
• People who use contact lenses in an inappropriate manner, such as not cleaning their hands or previously used lenses.

Diagnosis & treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are the usual tests to diagnose this condition?

Your doctor will examine the eye with a light to check for obvious corneal sores, small spots of dust or dirt, or other foreign objects. To confirm a Korean diagnosis of a very small scratched eye, the doctor may need to insert a small amount of yellow dye (fluorescein) to your eyes.

Usually, if you have only mild corneal abrasion, you don't need any other tests. However, if the injury is more serious, the doctor may examine your eye with an instrument and will test your vision.

What are my treatment options for corneal abrasion?

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, mild corneal abrasions generally heal on their own without any treatment. Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, quick steps to dealing with scratched corneas are:

• Rinse your eyes with clean water. You can use a small, clean drinking glass that is positioned over the bone at the base of your eye socket. Rinsing your eyes can wash away any irritating foreign matter.
• Blink a few times. This can remove the tiny particles in your eyes.
• Pull the upper eyelid over the lower eyelid. This helps the eye become watery to remove foreign particles. This method can also cause the lashes on your lower eyelid to brush against objects from under your upper eyelid.

Do the things below to prevent corneal abrasion from getting worse:

• Don't try to pick up objects in your eye or make it difficult to close your eyes
• Do not rub your eyes after injury
• Don't touch your eyeballs with cotton bud, tweezers, or other tools
• If you wear contact lenses, don't wear them while your eye is healing.

However, if the taste is very disturbing, especially to the point of causing blurry eyes, immediately consult the nearest ophthalmologist. You will be given an eye anesthetic to make you feel more comfortable.

After that, the doctor will examine your eye, especially the lining of the cornea, to see how many scratches are on the cornea. Depending on how severe your corneal abrasion is, here are some treatment options that are usually recommended by your doctor, namely:

1. Eye drops

As a first step, your doctor will prescribe special eye drops to treat your corneal abrasion. These eye drops keep moisture and reduce the risk of eye infections.

In addition, your eye doctor may also prescribe steroid eye drops. Unlike regular eye drops, their steroid content can help prevent the growth of scar tissue from scratching your eye.

2. Pain relievers

If your eye is sore and it itches more, your doctor will prescribe a pain reliever, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Usually, this drug will only be given to patients who have decreased light sensitivity until the corneal abrasion heals.

Tell your doctor if you have heart failure or kidney failure. People in this group are not recommended to take ibuprofen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) because they can cause severe side effects.

3. Eye surgery

If you have tried various methods but the corneal abrasion doesn't heal, eye surgery can be the best solution. Especially if the scratches on the cornea are deep, large, and interfere with vision.

This operation is done by patching up scratches or wounds in the lining of the cornea of ​​the eye. That way, your eyes will be clearer and feel more comfortable.

After the operation is over, your eye will be placed in a bandage for soft contact lenses to reduce pain and promote healing. Usually, this bandage should be changed once a day to keep it clean and sterile.

Use sunglasses every time you go out of the house. This is so that not much light enters the eye which can hinder its healing.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat corneal abrasion?

If the cornea is scratched, there are a number of things you can do to make the corneal abrasion heal quickly, including:

• Use eye drops and ointments as directed, and medications from your doctor
• Always rest your eyes after long periods of work
• Clean contact lenses regularly and before you wear them
• Tell your doctor if your eye is sore, irritated or if your corneal condition worsens
• Always wear protective glasses while working.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.