Corneal Abrasion

Overview
Corneal abrasions are scratches or cuts on the cornea of your eye (the clear, protective "window" at the front of the eye) by a foreign object such as sand, wood shavings, metal particles or even a contact lens. Usually, the scratch is superficial. Because the cornea has many nerve endings and is extremely sensitive, abrasions are usually very painful. If your cornea is scratched, it might feel as though you have sand in your eye.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of a corneal abrasion include an inability to open your eye because of pain, excess tearing, blurred vision and an increased sensitivity to light. Most people will recall a foreign object coming into contact with their eye right before their symptoms started. Occasionally, patients will recall that they slept with their contact lenses in for an extended period of time. Corneal abrasions from a contact lens can potentially result in serious damage to the eye, and even permanent vision loss.
Treatment
If you suspect you may have a corneal abrasion, call your health care provider right away. While you are waiting to be seen, do not rub your eye, as this can actually worsen the abrasion. During your visit, expect to have your eye physically inspected and to have your vision screened. Often times, many healthcare providers will "stain" your affected eye with a special dye called a fluorescein dye. Your eye will then be examined under a special light, and if you have a corneal abrasion, the dye will allow your healthcare provider to pinpoint the exact area of injury. Topical antibiotics are usually the treatment of choice for corneal abrasions. These help prevent a secondary infection. Be sure to finish the entire course of antibiotics that is prescribed. Occasionally, some physicians will apply a patch over the eye with the corneal abrasion for up to 24 hours. This can sometimes decrease the pain level for some patients. However, patching is controversial, and there have been some studies that show that patients who are not patched actually heal faster than patients who are patched.
Prevention
To prevent injury, always wear safety glasses when working with wood, metal, sand or any material that could become airborne.