Scratched cornea can i wear contacts

To properly flush out your eye, use an eyecup or small, sanitized glass and hold it against the bone beneath your eye socket. With your upper eyelid held away from the cornea, tip the glass so that the saline solution washes out your eye. Even tap water that is safe to drink can contain bacteria that could further irritate or infect your eye.

Bottled water is a safer bet, although saline solution is still preferable. If you wear contacts, take them out and use your prescription glasses until the abrasion has healed. Try not to let anything solid come into contact with your eyes. Use lubricating eye drops to keep your eye moist.

Try to rest your eyes as much as possible for a few days. Keep your eyes closed as much as you can throughout the day. A big part of treating a corneal abrasion at home is not making the problem worse while your eye naturally heals. You should also be careful about the way you clean your eye during this time. Do not towel dry it after showers because your towel may shed small fibers that can also get trapped beneath the eyelid. Do not use cotton swabs or tissues to wipe away tears or lubricating drops.

If you are experiencing pain, take over-the-counter pain medication. Do not apply hot or cold pads to the area unless instructed to by an eye doctor. They may use numbing eye drops that will help you keep your eye open during an exam. They may also use a special eye drop that will help them to view the extent of the damage with a blue light and slit lamp.

Neither of these diagnostic procedures will cause you any pain. If your eye doctor suspects a possible infection in or near the abrasion, they may swipe your eye with a swab that can be tested for cultures. Depending on the results, they may give you antibiotic drops to help clear away the infection.

For more severe corneal abrasions, you may be given an antibiotic ointment to apply to the affected eye for a few days. You may even be given a bandage lens to use with your prescription eye drops. If used properly, they can speed up the healing process. If your symptoms are severe, you may have a corneal laceration, in which case you absolutely have to see your eye doctor right away.

Many of the symptoms of a corneal abrasion, such as pain and photophobia, are also present when you have a corneal laceration. The biggest difference? Corneal lacerations are partial or full cuts across the cornea. Unlike corneal abrasions, which can be caused by microscopic objects, corneal lacerations are caused by sharp or forceful objects hitting the eye directly. Corneal lacerations require surgery to seal the cut and protect the eye from infection.

They are much more likely to cause vision damage or loss than abrasions. After surgery, you may have to wear an eye patch for a week or two and take medication for the pain. Your eye doctor will want to schedule follow-up appointments to check for related issues like detached retinas and glaucoma. Some people are more at risk of corneal abrasions than others. Dry eyes and the improper use of contact lenses can increase the risk of corneal abrasions.

Those who experience dry eyes at night can actually tear the corneal epithelium when opening the eyelids because of the lack of moisture in the eye.

Damaged contact lenses or wearing them too long also increases the risk of a scratched cornea. During IPL, concentrated light energy reduces inflammation and acts as a warm compress to restore proper function to tear-producing glands and encourage increased tear flow.

Several vision correction options are also available to allow patients to become free of contact lenses. Rubbing your eye can make the abrasion worse. If pain, redness or other discomfort continues, see immediate attention from an eye care professional.

An optometrist or ophthalmologist will examine your eye using eye drops to numb and determine the extent of the abrasion. If an infection is possible, your eye may be swabbed for a culture. Superficial corneal abrasions typically heal themselves within two to three days. Non-preserved lubricating eye drops may be recommended to keep the eye moist and provide more comfort during the natural healing process.

In some cases, antibiotic eye drops may also be prescribed to prevent infection during healing. For a larger or deep corneal abrasion that takes longer to heal, your doctor may use a thicker antibiotic ointment that remains in your eye and steroids to decrease inflammation and scarring. Caring for Your Incision After Surgery. Sore Muscles from Exercise. Ankle Sprains. Poison Ivy. Post-traumatic Stress After a Traffic Accident.

Home Diseases and Conditions Corneal Abrasions. Table of Contents. What is a corneal abrasion? Symptoms of corneal abrasions The cornea is very sensitive, so a corneal abrasion is usually quite painful. What can cause a corneal abrasion?

How are corneal abrasions diagnosed? Can corneal abrasions be prevented or avoided? Keep your fingernails trimmed short. Trim low-hanging tree branches. Use care when putting in contact lenses. Make sure you clean them properly each day. Avoid rubbing your eyes. What do I do if I get something in my eye? Corneal abrasion treatment Your doctor will probably treat the abrasion with eye drops or ointment.

Living with corneal abrasions If you wear contact lenses, you need to be especially careful with a corneal abrasion because you have a higher risk of infection. Questions to ask your doctor Can a corneal abrasion cause permanent damage to my eye? How long will it take my corneal abrasion to heal?