Housework and sports are two of the most common causes of eye injuries. But even cooking or playing with your dog or cat can scratch your eye. Symptoms may appear immediately or symptoms may start or get worse hours after infection.
Causes of scratching the eye:
There are many ways to get a corneal abrasion. Regardless of the size, anything that comes into contact with the surface of the eye can cause injury. Common causes include airborne particles such as dust or sand and anything that hits the open eye, for example during children's playtime or craft activities.
Dry eyes can increase the risk of corneal erosion through insufficient eye hydration. Dry areas cause the surface of the cornea to become fragile and therefore more vulnerable to damage, even during something as simple as an eye rubbing.
Symptoms of an eye scratch:
If the white part of your eye is scratched, you may see a spot of blood, a scratched streak, or an area of general redness on the conjunctiva or sclera.
Other common symptoms of eye scratching include:
Eye pain.
The feeling that something is stuck in your eye.
rupture.
If the cornea is scratched or scraped - the transparent round dome at the front of the eye, which covers the iris and pupil, this is called corneal erosion. If corneal abrasion causes corneal scars, it can permanently affect vision. Other symptoms of corneal erosion can include:
Blurry vision.
Sensitivity to light.
Headache.
Eye scratch treatment:
See an eye doctor if your eye has been scratched. If you are in severe pain, have trouble seeing or are concerned about your eyes, go to the emergency room. Most corneal abrasions and eye scratches are minor and will heal on their own within a few days but you still need to see a doctor for an eye exam.
An ophthalmologist may treat a scratched eye with antibiotic eye drops or ointment. Steroid eye drops may be given by prescription to reduce inflammation and reduce the chance of scarring. You may also be given lubricant eye drops that make you more comfortable. There are no over-the-counter eye drops specifically for eye scratches. If you have scratched your eye, you should not use any eye drops without first consulting your doctor.
If your eyes are scratched, here are some things to do:
Rinse your eyes with a saline solution or clean water. If you do not have an eye cup, use a small, clean glass. Place the edge of the glass on the bone at the base of the eye socket, below the lower eyelid. The water or saline solution may expel the foreign body from your eye.
Blinking can help remove small bits of dust or sand in your eye.
Pull your upper eyelid over your lower eyelid. The eyelashes on your lower eyelid may be able to clean out any foreign object stuck under the upper eyelid.
Wearing sunglasses if your eyes are sensitive to light due to scratching, sunglasses will make you more comfortable while you heal.
Do not rub your eyes. Rubbing your eyes can worsen the scratch.
Do not touch your eyes with anything. Fingers, cotton swabs, and other objects will not help remove any foreign bodies and may harm your eye more. The object that caused the scratch may disappear even though you feel that there is something in your eye.
Do not wear contact lenses. Wearing contact lenses will slow the healing process and may cause complications, such as infection associated with contact lenses.
Don't use soothing eye drops for redness. Over-the-counter redness-reducing eye drops can be painful if you have a scratchy eye and won't help you heal faster.
Recovery time for an eye scratch:
Your eye doctor can tell you what to expect after your eye exam. Eyes often heal very quickly, so an eye scratch may heal faster than a wound on your skin. But every scratch is different, and there is no way to predict exactly how long an eye scratch will take to heal.
Ask your eye doctor how long you might feel pain, how long you should take any medications he prescribes for you, and whether there are any activities you should avoid while recovering. If symptoms persist longer than the doctor told you to expect - or they get worse - you should contact your doctor to find out what to do next.