Corneal Abrasion

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• A corneal (KOR-ne-al) abrasion (ah-BRAY-zhun) is a scratch on the cornea (KOR-ne-ah) of your eye. The cornea is the clear "skin" that covers the front of your eye. A corneal abrasion may cause pain, redness, and extra tears in your eyes. It may be hard for you to keep your eyes open, and bright light may hurt your eyes. You may feel like you have something in your eye. You may not be able to see things very clearly while you have a corneal abrasion.
  
  
• Contact lenses that are worn too long or do not fit well may cause the abrasion. Objects like dirt, dust, or sand may get into your eye and scratch the cornea. Fingernails or other sharp objects may cause a corneal abrasion. A small scratch may heal in one to two days. Deeper or larger scratches may take longer to heal.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

Medicines:

• Keep a written list of what medicines you take and when and why you take them. Bring the list of your medicines or the pill bottles when you see your doctors. Learn why you take each medicine. Ask your doctor for information about your medicines. Do not take any medicines without first talking to doctors.
  
  
• Always take your medicine as directed by doctors. Call your doctor if you think your medicines are not helping or if you feel you are having side effects. Do not quit taking it until you discuss it with your doctor.
  
  
• Your doctor may give you medicines to decrease your pain, swelling, and irritation. If you are taking antibiotic (an-ti-bi-OT-ik) eyedrops or ointment, take them until they are all gone. Take them even if your eye is feeling better.
  
  
• Pain medicine: You may be given medicine to take at home to take away or decrease pain. Your caregiver will tell you how much to take and how often to take it. Take the medicine exactly as directed by your caregiver. Do not wait until the pain is too bad before taking your medicine. The medicine may not work as well at controlling your pain if you wait too long to take it. Tell caregivers if the pain medicine does not help, or if your pain comes back too soon.
  
  
• If you are taking medicine that makes you drowsy, do not drive or use heavy equipment.

When is my next eye appointment?

Ask your caregiver when to return for a follow-up visit. Keep all appointments. Write down any questions you may have. This way you will remember to ask these questions during your next visit.

How can I help my eye heal?

• Do not touch or rub your eye.
  
  
• Ask your caregiver how long you need to wait before starting your usual activities.
  
  
• If you wear contact lenses, ask your caregiver when you may wear them again.
  
  
• Usually, the doctor will not put a patch over your eye. If you do go home with a patch, follow your doctor's instructions carefully. Do not drive or operate machinery while wearing an eye patch. An eye patch can cause you to have trouble seeing things as well as you need to.

How can I help prevent corneal abrasions?

• Follow your doctor's instructions carefully for proper use of contact lens. Do not wear your contacts for longer than your doctor or package instructions tell you to. Remove your contact lenses if your eyes feel dry or irritated.
  
  
• Never wear contact lenses that you did not get with a prescription (from a doctor). This includes colored lenses or lenses with shapes on them that are sold in gas stations, stores, or beauty shops. These lenses may cause bad eye damage and vision loss.
  
  
• Do not rub your eyes.
  
  
• Wash your hands if you need to touch or do something near your eyes. This includes putting in contact lenses, eye medicines, or applying makeup.
  
  
• Keep children's fingernails trimmed short.
  
  
• Do not wear glitter makeup. Glitter can easily get into your eyes and under contact lenses.
  
  
• Wear protective eyewear when doing jobs that cause particles like wood, dust, metal, or sparks to fly. These jobs include doing lawn work, woodwork, or working around flames (including fireworks) or machinery. Wear protective eyewear while working with chemicals or in school science labs.
  
  
• Wear protective eyewear when playing most sports. This includes wrestling and ball sports such as baseball, racquet sports, and basketball. Use eye protectors that meet the American Society of Testing and Materials standards. Some of these sports also require wearing a helmet.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• Your eye pain gets worse.
  
  
• You begin to have yellow or green drainage coming from your eye. You may have an eye infection (in-FECK-shun).

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• Your vision gets worse.
  
  

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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