See Your Eye Doctor For Prompt Treatment Of A Corneal Abrasion
Posted on: 2 July 2018
When you get dust or grit in your eye, it can feel uncomfortable and painful. It can feel like you have a large foreign object in your eye, even if you can't see anything unusual. That's because the cornea of your eye is extremely sensitive. A tiny scratch can be enough to cause discomfort. A corneal abrasion usually heals quickly if it is small, but it's still a good idea to go to the eye doctor for an examination if it feels like your eye is scratched. Here are some things to try when it feels like something is in your eye, and some things to know about corneal abrasion treatment.
How to Remove Irritation from Your Eye
If sand or fine grit blows into your eye, you might be able to flush it out right away by using an eyewash or water. Your natural tears might even be enough to draw out the small particles. What you don't want to do is rub your eyes. Rubbing your eyes with tiny bits of grit in them can lead to more severe scratching.
If you have a foreign object embedded in your eye or a deep cut, you should get to an eye doctor or emergency room right away rather than try to remove the object yourself. Even if you're successful at flushing out grit, you should call your eye doctor to make a visit to the office. An examination will show the severity of the scratches, so the doctor knows whether you need further treatment.
How a Corneal Abrasion Is Treated
Sometimes, there is no lasting effect from getting dust or small debris in your eye if it falls out quickly. Other times, your cornea is scratched. A scratched cornea should be seen by an eye doctor because of the risk of infection that could lead to scars and more serious damage to your eye. Your eye doctor might only prescribe antibiotics for a light scratch, but a deeper scratch might need antibiotics, pain relievers, and steroids.
A light scratch could heal in just a few days, while a deep scratch could take much longer. Deep scratches can leave scars that have a lasting effect on your vision. You'll need to avoid wearing your contacts while your eye heals, and the eye doctor may give you lubricating drops to keep your eye moist to relieve discomfort.
You can scratch your eye in many different ways. You might do it by working with sheets of paper or walking into a tree branch. The scratch could be caused by flying bits of metal while working in your shop or from blowing dust while you're at the beach. Although you can't wear eye protection all the time, using protective glasses or goggles when you mow the yard, weld, use a saw, or work with chemicals is very important, so you can prevent injury to your eyes.
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