Eye scratches are surprisingly common, which is why everyone should be able to recognize the symptoms of this condition and know how to treat it. In today’s blog post, your trusted eye doctor from Opti-Care explains what you should do if you have a scratched eye.
Things That Can Cause Scratched Eyes
Eye scratches can be caused by poking the eyes, rubbing them too hard, wearing dirty contact lenses or getting dirt or any other foreign matter in your eye. Common activities that lead to eye scratches are contact sports and working on construction sites.
Symptoms
Eye scratch symptoms include tearing, eye pain and a feeling that something is stuck in your eye. If you scratch the cornea, then you might also experience blurry vision, a headache and sensitivity to light.
Treatment
The first thing you need to do is to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. Fortunately, Opti-Care provides scratched eye treatments, dry eye treatments and more. While waiting to see your doctor, you can take some steps to relieve your discomfort. Try blinking several times to remove small particles from your eye. You can also pull the upper eyelid over the lower eyelid, which will produce tears that will help wash out the particle. You can also rinse your eye with a saline solution or clean water.
Fortunately, most corneal abrasions heal in a day or two. Your eye doctor may treat your eye scratch by using antibiotic eye drops or ointment. They can also prescribe eye drops that can reduce inflammation and reduce the chance of scarring. Your eye doctor might also give you lubricating eye drops to reduce your discomfort.
Opti-Care offers high-quality eyeglasses and contact lenses and provides first-class vision care services. Our eye doctors can treat all sorts of eye conditions and eye diseases. We’ve helped our local community since 1982 and we use the latest technology and equipment. We also accept a majority of major insurance and vision care plans. Opti-Care serves patients from Westminster, MD, and nearby areas. Call us at (410) 795-8670 to learn more about our services or to request an appointment.