Our eye is one of the most sensitive parts of our body. You need to take extreme care and do your best to avoid any kind of injury. But sometimes, avoiding an eye infection or an injury is just impossible. Eye injuries are some of the most painful injuries to sustain, especially when your cornea gets scratched, causing a corneal abrasion.
What is Corneal Abrasion?
The cornea is a thin and clear dome-shaped protective window that covers your pupil and iris. It helps your eye focus on the light entering and makes things visible. Corneal abrasion is a scratch on your cornea caused by debris entering your eye. A flying speck of dust, your finger accidentally poking your eye, an animal claw, sand particle, wearing contact lenses for too long or even rubbing your eyes too hard can cause a corneal abrasion. Some of the most common symptoms that indicate you have a scratched eye are:
- Sudden blurry vision
- Dull or pulsating headaches
- Swollen eyelids
- Redness in eyes
- Eye twitching
- Sudden light sensitivity
- Nausea
- Pain while blinking the eye
- Partial vision impairment
- Constantly teary eyes
How to Relieve Pain from Scratched Eye?
Most of the corneal abrasions get healed on their own within a few days. However, some complications can arise. If you leave it untreated, a scratched eye can lead to an infection resulting in increased inflammation, long-term vision impairment or a corneal ulcer. Here are some easy-to-follow tips to relieve you from the pain caused by a scratched eye:
1. Wear Sunglasses or Eye Patch
It is common for your eyes to suddenly turn more sensitive towards light after such injuries. So, if you are heading out in the sunlight, ensure that you wear an eye patch or sunglasses to protect your eyes from any further harm. Moreover, if you have fluorescent or overhead lights, turn them off and go for lamps with softer tones to not irritate your eyes.
2. Cold Water Compress
Applying a cold compress on your closed eyelid will help reduce pain and inflammation. You can make this compress at home by putting a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and wrapping it with a soft cloth towel. Keep it on your eye for no more than 20 minutes to relieve the burning sensation in your eye. Don’t put too much pressure and avoid rubbing your eyes.
3. Avoid Eye Makeup
To speed your healing process, avoid wearing any kind of eye makeup. Makeup products like mascara or eye shadows contain allergens and chemicals that might trigger a reaction and irritate your eyes, causing more harm than doing good. So, avoid them to eliminate any complications.
4. Refrain from Stressing Your Eyes
Avoid doing activities that stress your eyes. So, you need to stay away from technology for a while. Don’t stare at digital screens for long, and avoid reading till your eyes are healed. Don’t watch movies on your laptops; driving should be avoided entirely.
5. Don’t Rub Your Eyes
It is always wise to let your eyes rest during an eye injury. Resist your urge to rub your eyes, as rubbing can complicate things and disturb the healing process. It can even contaminate your eyes and increase the infection.
Should You Consult an Eye Doctor?
These tips are just to help enhance your healing process. Corneal abrasion requires medical attention, no matter how small the injury is. So, always consult your eye doctor before trying out any sort of home remedy. Remember to always wash your hands before touching your eyes. This will keep the infection at bay.
