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Senior Eye Health

Corneal Abrasions

The cornea is the clear, outer window of the eye. A corneal abrasion is simply a scratch in the epithelium (skin), or the thin, outer layer of the cornea. Abrasions usually heal in a short time period, sometimes within hours. Deeper or larger scratches may take up to a week. The cornea has a tremendous number of nerve endings, which makes any damage to the cornea very painful.


A corneal abrasion is simply a scratch in
the outer layer of the cornea

Symptoms of corneal abrasions:

  • Acute pain
  • Watery eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurry vision
  • The feeling that there's something in your eye
  • Twitching and/or puffy eyelid
  • Blepharospasm - difficulty keeping one or both eyes open

There is usually a history of a recent eye trauma, though it is sometimes difficult to recall what caused your injury.

Causes of corneal abrasions:

  • Scratched eye (fingernails, hairbrushes, tree branches, etc).
  • Foreign body in the eye
  • Contact lenses
  • Chemicals
  • Blow to the eye

Diagnosing corneal abrasions:

 
    Your doctor will examine your eyes with a magnifying instrument
   

Your eye doctor can identify corneal abrasions by examining your eyes with magnifying instruments. Your doctor will check your eye, including under your eyelid, to make sure there are no foreign materials present. Depending on the initial exam, fluorescein dye may be used to help locate and identify the corneal abrasions. A test called the Seidel test (painting the wound with dye and observing for leakage) may be performed to uncover possible deeper injuries.

Treating corneal abrasions:

Your doctor may apply a topical anesthesia to temporarily help relieve the pain. Usually, a tight patch will be placed over the eye and if the abrasion is small, the epithelium should heal overnight. If the abrasion is large, it may take a few days and your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help prevent infections. In certain cases, your Inland Vision Care eye doctor may apply a bandage lens - a special soft contact lens used as a clear eye patch. It is important that you do not rub your eye, especially during the healing process.

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