Can you treat a corneal abrasion at home?
Most corneal abrasions and eye scratches are minor and will heal on their own in a few days, but it's always a good idea to see a doctor for an eye exam. It's important not to use any eye drops without first asking a doctor. There are no over-the-counter eye drops specifically for eye scratches.
How are corneal abrasions treated? In people who are in good general health, most typical corneal abrasions can heal on their own within 24 to 48 hours. A doctor may prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointment.
Corneal abrasions are very uncomfortable and can lead to redness, eye soreness, and photosensitivity. It is vital for you to visit our closest emergency room in Dallas, TX, if you have corneal abrasion because this injury can cause your eye to be susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections.
Even though they're rarely serious, corneal abrasions should be checked out. It's important to rule out more serious damage to the eyeball. The doctor can see how serious the injury is and prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointment to help it heal.
TOPICAL ANTIBIOTICS
For uncomplicated abrasions, options include erythromycin 0.5% ophthalmic ointment, polymyxin B/trimethoprim (Polytrim) ophthalmic solution, and sulfacetamide 10% ophthalmic ointment or solution (Table 2).
- Rinse your eye with clean water or a saline solution. You can use an eyecup or a small, clean drinking glass positioned with its rim resting on the bone at the base of your eye socket. ...
- Blink several times. ...
- Pull the upper eyelid over the lower eyelid.
If your optometrist discovers an eye scratch, they will most likely give you antibiotic drops such as Polytrim (a polymyxin B and trimethoprim ophthalmic combination) to lubricate your eye (making you more comfortable) and help prevent infection, says Dr. Phebus.
Most corneal abrasions heal within a few days and cause no further problems. If you need and get treatment, your vision should be fine. Eye scratches that don't heal up or don't respond to treatment could lead to infections or scarring. Both of these things could cause loss of vision.
Rinse the affected eye with clean water or saline solution: Rinsing the eye helps remove any foreign body including dirt from the eye. Take saline solution or clean water in an eyecup, a bowl, or glass.
Some cases of eye scratches can also become an emergency depending on what caused the scratch. For example, a scratched eye due to constant rubbing may be better addressed at an eye clinic or urgent care.
Does sleep help corneal abrasion?
Fortunately, smaller corneal abrasions usually heal quite quickly-often within 24 hours-or during sleep. Larger corneal abrasions make take 2 or 3 days to fully heal. However, during the healing time patients often experience tearing, redness, blurred vision and light sensitivity.
DON'T touch or rub your eye, especially when you wake up. DON'T wear contact lenses until the eye heals and you have finished all ointments or eyedrops for at least 1 day. DON'T look at bright light. DON'T use topical anesthetic for pain relief.
Diagnosing a Corneal Abrasion
When you seek urgent care for an eye injury, your healthcare provider will examine your eye for damage. He or she will likely use a machine called a slit lamp to take a closer look at your eye. This diagnostic tool can only found in an emergency room or optometrist's office.
Most corneal abrasions and eye scratches are minor and will heal on their own in a few days, but it's always a good idea to see a doctor for an eye exam. It's important not to use any eye drops without first asking a doctor. There are no over-the-counter eye drops specifically for eye scratches.
Use lubricating eye drops to keep your eye moist. These over the counter drops won't fix the abrasion but they will keep your eye comfortable during the healing process. Try to rest your eyes as much as possible for a few days. Don't do anything that can cause eye strain like reading or staring at a computer screen.
There are no over-the-counter eye drops specifically for eye scratches. If you have scratched your eye, you shouldn't use any eye drops without asking a doctor first. If you have a scratched eye, here are some things you should—and should not—do: > DO rinse your eye with saline solution or clean water.
Initiate topical antibiotics (erythromycin). Regarding pain control, small abrasions (less than 4 mm) rarely require analgesia. Mild to moderate pain can typically be controlled with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ophthalmic topical NSAID solutions provide pain relief.
Most corneal abrasions heal in 24 to 72 hours and rarely progress to corneal erosion or infection.
Home care. A cold pack may be applied over the eye (or eye patch) for 20 minutes at a time, to reduce pain.
The process of corneal epithelial wound healing can be divided into phases that occur in sequence, but may overlap in time. They are the latent or lag phase, migration, proliferation and epithelial reattachment.
Can you buy over the counter antibiotic eye drops?
You cannot obtain antibiotic eye drops over the counter. They require a doctor's prescription. However, you can use some over-the-counter medications to treat symptoms of various eye infections, including chalazion and styes.
A combination drop of polymyxin and trimethoprim is commercially available. For large or dirty abrasions, many practitioners prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotic drops, such as trimethoprim/polymyxin B (Polytrim) or sulfacetamide sodium (Sulamyd, Bleph-10), which are inexpensive and least likely to cause complications.
If both eyes are affected, tilt your head back, keeping it level, and use a glass or cupped hand to repeatedly pour water across both eyes from the bridge of the nose. If you have access to a shower, aim a gentle stream of warm water at your forehead or just above the affected eye while holding the affected eye open.
Can you use pink eye drops for a scratched cornea? Pink eye drops do not work for a corneal abrasion. Such medications help treat inflammation in the conjunctiva, which is a separate part of your eye. The only exception is antibiotic eye drops, which is used to prevent infection in cases of corneal abrasion.
Help Your Eyes Heal from Corneal Abrasion or Erosion
Do not rub your eye while it is healing. Rubbing can slow down healing, or even make the problem worse. Avoid wearing your usual contact lenses while your eye is healing.
