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How to Treat a Scratched Cornea
A scratch on the cornea can cause a surprising amount of pain, even when the injury is small. You may notice redness, tearing, blurry vision, light sensitivity, or a constant feeling that something is stuck in your eye. Common causes include fingernails, contact lenses, makeup applicators, dust, sand, and other small particles that come into contact with the eye.
Many minor corneal abrasions heal within a short period of time, but the eye still needs proper care while the surface recovers. Knowing how to respond after an injury and when to seek professional help can reduce discomfort and lower the risk of complications. Below, learn what a corneal abrasion is, how it is typically treated, and which symptoms mean it is time to see an eye doctor.
What is a Corneal Abrasion?
A corneal abrasion is a scratch or scrape on the cornea, which is the clear tissue covering the front of the eye. The cornea helps protect the eye and plays an important role in focusing light, so damage to this surface can cause significant irritation and temporary changes in vision.
Corneal abrasions can happen in many different ways. A fingernail, tree branch, contact lens, makeup tool, or small particle of dirt, dust, sand, metal, or wood can scrape the eye. An abrasion can also occur if you rub your eye while debris is trapped underneath the eyelid.
Because the cornea has many nerve endings, even a small injury may feel extremely uncomfortable. Symptoms can include redness, tearing, blurry vision, light sensitivity, and the sensation that something remains in the eye. If your symptoms are severe, your vision is affected, or the discomfort does not begin to improve, an eye doctor can examine the injury and determine whether treatment is needed.
What are the Signs of a Scratched Cornea?
A scratched cornea usually causes noticeable irritation, and the discomfort can sometimes feel out of proportion to the size of the injury. Many people describe the sensation as having sand, grit, or another object trapped beneath the eyelid. Blinking may make the feeling worse.
Common symptoms can include:
Eye pain or stinging
Redness
Excessive tearing or watery eyes
Sensitivity to light
Blurry or hazy vision
A gritty or foreign-body sensation
Difficulty keeping the affected eye open
The severity of your symptoms can depend on the size, depth, and location of the abrasion. Significant vision changes, severe pain, worsening redness, or symptoms that continue to get worse should be evaluated by an eye care professional.
What Should You Do After Scratching Your Eye?
If you think you have scratched your eye, do not rub or press on it. Rubbing can make the abrasion worse and may cause additional damage if dust, dirt, or another particle is still trapped under the eyelid.
You can gently rinse the eye with sterile saline or clean water to help flush out loose debris. Blinking several times may also encourage your natural tears to wash away a small particle. If you wear contact lenses, take them out and do not reinsert them until the eye has healed and your eye doctor says it is safe to resume contact lens wear.
Do not use tweezers, cotton swabs, fingernails, or other objects to remove anything that appears embedded in the eye. You should also avoid using leftover prescription drops or another person’s medication. If something will not rinse out, your pain is significant, your vision changes, or the symptoms are not improving, contact an eye care professional.
What are the Treatment Options for Corneal Abrasions?
Treatment depends on how the injury happened, the size and depth of the abrasion, whether foreign material remains in the eye, and whether there are signs of infection or another injury. Contact lens wear may also affect treatment because certain corneal infections are more common among people who wear contacts.
For many uncomplicated abrasions, care focuses on keeping the eye comfortable, preventing infection, and giving the corneal surface time to heal. An eye doctor can examine the injury and recommend treatment based on your specific situation.
Removing a Foreign Particle
If dirt, dust, or another small particle caused the abrasion, removing the material may be the first step. Loose debris may sometimes rinse out with sterile saline or clean water. If a particle remains beneath the eyelid or on the surface of the cornea, an eye care professional can use magnification and specialized instruments to remove it safely.
Do not attempt to remove anything that appears embedded in the eye. Injuries involving metal, wood, power tools, high-speed debris, or other potentially penetrating materials need prompt professional evaluation.
Antibiotic Eye Drops or Ointment
An eye doctor may prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointment while the cornea heals. These medications are used to reduce the risk of infection after the eye’s protective surface has been damaged. The medication selected may depend on how the abrasion happened and whether you wear contact lenses. Contact lens-related injuries require extra attention because contact wearers have a higher risk of certain corneal infections.
If the abrasion happened while you were wearing contacts, leave your lenses out until your eye doctor confirms that the cornea has healed enough to safely resume wearing them.
Lubricating Eye Drops Ointments
Artificial tears, lubricating eye drops, or ointments may be recommended to reduce friction and help the eye feel more comfortable during healing. These products can soothe irritation and dryness while the surface cells of the cornea repair themselves. However, not every eye drop is appropriate for an injured eye.
Avoid using old prescription medication or drops prescribed to someone else. Your eye doctor can recommend lubricating products that are appropriate for your injury.
Eye Pain Management
Even a minor corneal abrasion can be painful because the cornea contains a large number of sensitive nerve endings. Depending on your symptoms, your eye doctor may recommend an appropriate option for pain relief while the eye heals.
Numbing drops may be used in the office during an examination, but they generally should not be used at home unless specifically directed by a qualified clinician. Repeated or improper use of topical anesthetic drops can slow healing and lead to serious corneal problems.
Prescription Dilating Drops
For some larger or more painful corneal abrasions, an eye doctor may prescribe drops that temporarily dilate the pupil. These medications can help relax muscles inside the eye and reduce painful spasms that sometimes occur after an injury.
Dilating drops are not needed for every abrasion. Your doctor will determine whether they are appropriate based on your symptoms and exam findings.
Bandage Contact Lenses
In certain situations, an eye doctor may place a special bandage contact lens over the cornea. This type of lens is different from a normal prescription contact. Instead of correcting vision, it acts as a protective covering that can reduce friction from blinking and improve comfort while the eye heals.
Bandage lenses must be used under an eye doctor’s supervision because wearing a contact lens over an injured cornea can increase the risk of infection. Follow all instructions for follow-up care, and do not put your regular contact lenses back in until your doctor says it is safe.
When Should You See an Eye Doctor for a Corneal Abrasion?
Some minor abrasions may start to improve quickly, but an eye exam is important when symptoms are severe, persistent, or getting worse. An eye doctor can check for infection, deeper injury, retained debris, or another condition that may be causing similar symptoms.
Contact an eye care professional if you experience:
Severe or worsening eye pain
Blurry, decreased, or otherwise changing vision
Increasing redness or swelling
Discharge from the eye
A persistent feeling that something is stuck in the eye
Symptoms that are not improving as expected
An injury caused by metal, wood, plant material, or high-speed debris
A corneal abrasion related to contact lens wear
An object that cannot be rinsed from the eye
How Long Does a Corneal Abrasion Take to Heal?
Many small, uncomplicated corneal abrasions begin feeling better within 24 to 48 hours and may fully heal within a few days. The cornea repairs its surface relatively quickly, but recovery time depends on the size, depth, location, and cause of the scratch.
Larger abrasions may take longer to recover. Healing may also be delayed when an injury involves infection, contact lens use, or retained debris. Pain, tearing, and light sensitivity should generally decrease as the corneal surface heals, although mild irritation may continue for a short period. If your symptoms are not getting better, become more painful, or return after initially improving, contact an eye doctor.
In some cases, the healed surface of the cornea may not remain securely attached and can reopen later. This is known as recurrent corneal erosion and may cause repeated episodes of pain, tearing, or irritation. An eye care professional can examine the cornea and recommend additional treatment when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Corneal Abrasions
Get Treatment for a Scratched or Injured Eye at eyecarecenter
A scratched cornea can be painful and disruptive, but many minor abrasions heal well with proper care. Avoiding further irritation, keeping contact lenses out, and recognizing signs that need professional attention can all help support recovery.
If you have ongoing eye pain, redness, excessive tearing, a persistent sensation that something is stuck in your eye, or changes in your vision, eyecarecenter can help. An eye doctor can examine your cornea, identify the cause of your symptoms, and recommend treatment based on the injury.
Schedule an eye exam at an eyecarecenter location near you if you think you may have scratched or injured your eye.