Corneal Abrasions

Also known as: scratched cornea, scratched eye.

What are corneal abrasions?

The cornea is the clear outer dome shaped surface in the front of the eye covering the eye’s pupil and iris. When it gets injured by a scratch or scrape, it’s known as a corneal abrasion.

What causes corneal abrasions?

There are a large number of ways the cornea may be damaged. Common ones include: foreign bodies like stones, dust, dirt or insects in the eye, scratching of the cornea by a finger or nail, sports injuries, rubbing the eyes too vigorously or poorly placed contact lenses.

What are the symptoms of corneal abrasions?

Pain, tearing, redness, light sensitivity, repetitive blinking of the affected eye, blurry vision, the sensation of something in the eye and holding the eye closed are all symptoms of corneal abrasions.

What are corneal abrasion care options?

Corneal abrasions typically heal quickly without permanent damage to the eye. Treatments include (depending on severity), removal of the foreign material, antibiotic or other eye drops/ointment, and an eye patch to provide eye comfort while the eye is healing.


Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: September 06, 2019 11:11 AM

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