Our eyes are well protected by our eyelids, but just like any other part of the body. One of the most common injuries to the eye is a corneal abrasion. An abrasion occurs when the epithelium, the transparent covering over the pupil and the colored part of the eye is torn away. Usually the abrasion is caused inadvertently by a fingernail, the edge of a piece of paper, something that hits the eye like a piece of sand. Sometimes they are caused by contact lenses. Corneal injuries even occur without you being aware of what caused it.

Corneal abrasions are almost always very painful. When the epithelium is disrupted, very sensitive corneal nerves are exposed, and that is why an almost invisible injury is so painful. The cornea has more nerve ending then any other part of the body. In addition to the pain, these injuries also cause tearing, redness, sensitivity to lights and blurred vision.

Typically, a corneal abrasion feels like a foreign body in the eye and it is natural to want to rub their eye to remove it. If you think you have corneal abrasion, close the eye and try not to rub it. Blinking several times may dislodge small particles of debris from the eye. Sometimes rinsing the eye with water may flush out the troubling object. If these few tricks do not work, do not take any further steps because it lead to a more extensive injury.

Often corneal abrasions can be prevented

Avoid putting any object near the eyes; Wear protective eyewear when working around any materials that may fly into the eyes; Keep the fingernails of babies and children trimmed short and smooth; Be careful when putting contact lenses in or taking them out; Cut low-hanging tree branches.

The cornea is a remarkable tissue that can repair itself very fast. A very small abrasion can improve in a few hours. A larger abrasion will usually heal over a period of a few days. Even though these abrasions heal by themselves, it is important to be seen by a physician. The doctor will perform a complete eye exam to make sure there is not some other cause for the eye pain. You doctor will begin by check your vision and examining at the surface of your eye. Detecting an erosion or abrasion requires the use of a painless yellow dye, which makes the scratch easier to see by causing it to fluoresce. The exam should also include a slit-lamp examination to determine the extent and particularly, the depth of the corneal abrasion.

For the initial examination, an anesthetic drop is instilled into the eye to ease the pain. However, these drops cannot be used repeatedly, because they may cause harm to the eye. To control the pain for longer periods of time the doctor will prescribe a pain medicine that is taken by mouth. Treatment normally consists of antibiotic drops instilled into the eye to prevent infection. The cornea does not have blood supply and can't protect itself from infection. Very small abrasions rarely cause permanent loss of vision. However, it may take several weeks for vision to return to normal. Larger abrasions or those that become infected may leave a scar, which could blur your vision. Because of this, they must be re-checked, by your doctor, usually within 24 hours.

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