What Is Corneal Abrasion And How We Can Help?

A scratched eye is called a corneal abrasion. You can get it in a variety of ways- whether it’s a child scratching you by accident (a common occurrence for parents in Colchester and Hebron) or from foreign objects hitting you in the eye like plants or particles of flying dirt or debris. Accidents in the workplace- especially if safety glasses are not being worn- is also an unfortunately common occurrence. Contact lenses that have been left in too long or that have tears in them can also cause an abrasion and even an ingrown eyelash can lead to a scratched eye.

The most obvious symptom of an abrasion is pain- a scratched eye is remarkably painful and is hard to bear. You may have other symptoms like blurry vision, that feeling that something is in your eye or experiencing sensitivity to the light but extreme pain is the most obvious symptom. It can seriously degrade your standard of living and needs to be seen to quickly by an eye doctor.

The main problem with having an untreated corneal abrasion comes from the risk of infection. Just as having a cut on the surface of your skin allows harmful bacteria to gain entry to your body, so too does a scratched eye increase the risk of getting an infection in your eye. Eye infections can be very serious.

Treating Scratched Eye At Wild Apple Eye Care

Due to the severe pain and heightened risk of infection involved in a corneal abrasion, we will always treat patients with this problem as eye emergencies and we will make you a priority during business hours.

If you have an abrasion, what we will often do is put in a Bandage Contact Lens which will sit over your cornea and act as a band aid. This will make it easier for you to blink and to deal with the pain of the scratch. We will also usually prescribe antibiotics and lubricating drops to help make you as comfortable as possible and to help the eye to heal as quickly as possible.

If you have been injured and you are experiencing a lot of pain from your eye, please come in and see us at either our Hebron or Colchester locations during business hours- we will always try to fit you in for that same day and it will usually be faster and easier to get treatment than if you were to go into your local Emergency Room.