About this topic
The cornea is the clear part on the front of the eye. It covers the colored part of the eye and the pupil. It keeps the front of the eyes safe. The cornea filters light going into the eye. This helps you to see better. ‚
A scrape, cut, or scratch on the cornea is called a corneal abrasion. The cornea has many nerve endings. This makes it very sensitive to scratches and to small pieces of sand or dirt. When your cornea is injured, your eye will be very painful. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Your doctor may give you drugs for pain and to prevent infection. Take them as ordered.
- Wash your hands before touching your eyes.
- Your doctor may cover your eye with a patch. Ask your doctor how long you should wear the patch.
- Do not rub your eyes. When your eye feels itchy, dampen a clean washcloth and gently wipe the itchy eye.
- Gently place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over your closed eyes. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Do this for 24 to 48 hours to reduce swelling.
- Your doctor may give you protective glasses. This will help prevent dust and germs from getting into your eyes.
- Do not wear your own contact lenses until your eyes are healed. Talk to your doctor before wearing your contact lenses
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Fight an infection
- Moisten your eye
Will physical activity be limited?
You might have problems doing activities where you need to use your eyes. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Corneal scarring
- Eye pain
- Eyesight problems
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Wear goggles when using tools that create dust and sand. Protect your eyes when playing sports.
- Wear sunglasses when outside.
- Be careful when using household cleaners.
- If you wear contact lenses, clean them each day. Make sure there is no sand or dirt on them before you put them in.
- Keep your nails short.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Problems with your eyes. These include redness; yellowish, greenish or bloody discharge; very itchy and watery eyes.
- Problems with your eyesight or cloudy eyesight
- Seeing floating spots even after cleaning the eye
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how to care for my eye.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have eye drainage or trouble seeing.
Where can I learn more?
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus ‚
http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/39 ‚
FamilyDoctor.org ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/staying-healthy/first-aid/corneal-abrasions.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚