Table of contents:
- How to clean an eye that is affected by corneal abrasion
- Treatment options for corneal abrasion
- 1. Eye drops
- 2. Pain relievers
- 3. Eye surgery
When your eyes squint or get a foreign object in, the first thing most people do is rub their eyes until the itching goes away. In fact, this habit can actually injure the corneal lining of the eye and cause corneal abrasion. Not only makes your eyes itchy and sore, this eye injury can also interfere with vision, you know. If you already have a corneal abrasion, what can you do to fix it? Come on, find out through the following reviews.
How to clean an eye that is affected by corneal abrasion
When you are diagnosed with a corneal abrasion, you should be extra careful when cleaning your eyes. Remember, don't ever rub your eyes even though they feel itchy, huh!
If your eyes start to itch and hurt, try to follow these eye cleaning steps.
- Open your eyes wide with two fingers, then look at your eye area in the mirror.
- Look for dust or small particles that get into the eyes.
- If there is, try to gently remove the dirt with clean water or saline eye drops (artificial tears).
- Do this 1-2 times until the dirt is gone. Avoid rinsing your eyes repeatedly as this will make your eyes itch even more.
For those of you who frequently wear contact lenses, you should stop using them for a while. This aims to prevent further eye irritation and speed up recovery.
Treatment options for corneal abrasion
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, mild corneal abrasions generally heal on their own without any treatment. However, if the taste is very disturbing, especially to the point of causing blurry eyes, immediately consult the nearest ophthalmologist.
First of all, the doctor will administer an eye anesthetic to make you feel more comfortable. After that, the doctor will examine your eye, especially the lining of the cornea, to see how many scratches are on the cornea.
Depending on how severe your corneal abrasion is, here are some treatment options that are usually recommended by your doctor, namely:
1. Eye drops
As a first step, your doctor will prescribe special eye drops to treat your corneal abrasion. These eye drops keep moisture and reduce the risk of eye infections.
In addition, your eye doctor may also prescribe steroid eye drops. Unlike regular eye drops, their steroid content can help prevent the growth of scar tissue from scratching your eye.
2. Pain relievers
If your eye is sore and it itches more, your doctor will prescribe a pain reliever, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Usually, this drug will only be given to patients who have decreased light sensitivity until the corneal abrasion heals.
Tell your doctor if you have heart failure or kidney failure. People in this group are not recommended to take ibuprofen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) because they can cause severe side effects.
3. Eye surgery
If you have tried various methods but the corneal abrasion doesn't heal, eye surgery can be the best solution. Especially if the scratches on the cornea are deep, large, and interfere with vision.
This operation is done by patching up scratches or wounds in the lining of the cornea of the eye. That way, your eyes will be clearer and feel more comfortable.
After the operation is over, your eye will be placed in a bandage for soft contact lenses to reduce pain and promote healing. Usually, these bandages need to be changed once a day to keep them clean and sterile.
Last but not least, wear sunglasses every time you go out of the house. This is so that not much light enters the eye which can hinder its healing.