Corneal abrasion — looking after a scratched eye
How to care for your eye after a scratch on its surface, and the warning signs to watch for.
You have a corneal abrasion — a scratch on the clear front surface of the eye. It is painful, and your eye may water and dislike bright light. The good news is that these scratches usually heal within 24–48 hours.
Your care details
To be completed by the team before you leave.
These need assessing immediately.
- Sudden loss of vision
- Your eye was splashed by a chemical — rinse with plenty of clean water for at least 20 minutes on the way
- There is a cut to the eyeball, or something is stuck in the eye
- Severe and rapidly increasing pain
Go back to the ED or the eye service named above the same day.
- The pain, redness or watering gets worse after 24 to 48 hours rather than better
- Your vision is getting worse, or staying blurred
- Increasing sensitivity to bright light
- A white or cloudy spot appears on the eye
- Pus or thick discharge from the eye
- It still feels like something is stuck in the eye
- You wear contact lenses and the eye is not settling
Contact lenses: do not wear them until the eye has fully healed and you have been told it is safe — usually at least 24 hours after all symptoms have gone. Use a fresh pair and a clean case. A scratch in a lens wearer carries a higher risk of infection, so a worsening eye needs same-day review rather than waiting. Some injuries are not simple scratches and are managed differently: anything caused by metal, grinding, hammering or a fast-moving particle, where a fragment can be left in or inside the eye; a retained foreign body under the eyelid; and any chemical splash. If any of these applies and it was not discussed with you, contact the eye service named above. Do not rub the eye, patch it yourself, or use anyone else's drops — and never use anaesthetic drops at home, as they delay healing.
Caring for your eye
- Use the eye drops or ointment exactly as you were given.
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain if you can take them.
- Do not rub your eye — this can make the scratch worse.
- Do not wear contact lenses until the eye is fully healed and you are told it is safe.
- Wear sunglasses if bright light hurts your eye.
- Do not drive while your vision is blurred or you have a pad on the eye.
What is normal
As the surface heals, it is normal to have some of these for a day or two:
This should ease as the surface heals over 24–48 hours.