3 Telltale Signs of a Scratched Cornea
If your eye feels itchy and or feels like it has something in it, you might try to see if you can find anything, such as a loose eyelash or a piece of dust. What you might not know is that this is a classic symptom of having a scratched cornea, which is also called a corneal abrasion.
A corneal abrasion is actually a scratch on the outermost part of your eye. It’s not generally serious, but it can lead to an infection if you don’t seek attention. Our providers at Eye Q Optique explain more about how this happens and what to do about it.
The signs of a corneal abrasion
Quite simply, a corneal abrasion is a scratch on the outer surface of your eye. The cornea is the clear layer over the iris (the colored part of the eye) and the pupil.
Here are three telltale signs that you have a scratched cornea:
Your eyes are sensitive to light
If you have a scratched cornea, your eyes may be especially sensitive to light. This symptom is also called photophobia.
Your eyes hurt
It’s normal for your eyes to hurt if you’ve scratched your cornea. That’s because the cornea has a lot of tiny nerve endings, which produce a great deal of pain.
Your vision may be blurry
If your vision is blurred or otherwise less clear than usual, it can be a sign that you have a corneal abrasion.
The risk factors for corneal abrasion
Although anyone can get a scratch on their cornea, some people are more likely than others to get them. These risk factors include the following:
Working around dangerous equipment, such as sawmills or grinding machines
Playing sports without wearing proper eye protection
Wearing contact lenses
Landscaping or working around plants without eye protection
Having dry eyes
Any of these factors increase your risk of scratching your cornea. However, the one thing you shouldn’t do is rub your eye, especially if you feel like or know that you have a foreign object in it.
What to do about a scratched cornea
Most scratched corneas will gradually heal within days in most cases. However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore it and wait for it to go away. You simply don’t know exactly how deep the scratch is, which requires a visit to our practice for an examination.
A professional on our team will place drops in your eye to make the scratch more visible. These drops don’t hurt and in fact, we can numb your eye to make the pain stop.
If you do indeed have a scratch on your cornea, you may need antibiotic drops to put in your eyes, in addition to steroids to decrease inflammation and reduce pain and sensitivity.
Time is of the essence with eye injuries, including scratched corneas. Call us as soon as possible if you think you have one. You could face much more serious risks, such as corneal ulcers, if you wait to get treatment. Corneal ulcers can lead to loss of vision, so this needs to be addressed immediately.
If you’ve scratched your eye, the first thing to do is to flush your eyes with saline (not tap water). Then, contact us at the nearest Eye Q Optique location for an exam or request an appointment online.