Corneal abrasion

Definition

A corneal abrasion is a worn or scraped-off area of the outer, clear layer of the eye (cornea).

Description

The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped outer area of the eye. It lies in front of the colored part of the eye (iris) and the black hole in the iris (pupil). The outermost layer of the eyeball consists of the cornea and the white part of the eye (sclera). A corneal abrasion is basically a superficial cut or scrape on the cornea. A corneal abrasion is not as serious as a corneal ulcer, which is generally deeper and more severe than an abrasion.

Causes and symptoms

A corneal abrasion is usually the result of direct injury to the eye, often from a fingernail scratch, makeup brushes, contact lenses, foreign body, or even twigs. Patients often complain of feeling a foreign body in their eye, and they may have pain, sensitivity to light, or tearing.

Bored Yet?? Well, here's the rest of the story.....

I gave MYSELF a corneal abrasion on Tuesday!! I'm a complete Nimrod! I was holding the corner of my shirt to wipe the corner of my eye (because we all know you shouldnt use your finger!! Sigh...) and my fingers slipped off the shirt and PLUNGED my fingernail into my right eye..........  OWIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Several minutes and MANY curse words silent under my breath later, I walked (running with blurred vision was out) and checked in the bathroom mirror to find that I indeed had a large scratch mark ON MY EYE, ON my FREAKIN' EYE! Am I the biggest walking ungraceful dork on the planet!?!?!?!  SO I call my Optometrist and he says that I should come straight in which I do. I leave work and hottail it to Fredericksburg. Now, at this point, it hurts, but it isnt crippling, just painful, duh, stupid AMy and ouch, something in my eye. I actually went back to work after picking up my eye drops antibiotics. Driving home I noticed that life was getting a little more painful.

I pick up Ray and by the time we get through dinner, I'm crying and my sweet lovable son is asking me "mommy are you crying?? He startes rubbing my cheek and saying "it ok" (AWWWWW) then he jumps up and says "I know, DANCING will make your eye feel better!" I started to tell him that it probably wouldnt (and more than likely would create another injury-lol) but just that he was trying so hard to help me feel better was really sweet. He dances around alot and I stood there trying not to jog my eye. A phone call to hubby to ask him to hurry and when he finally got home, he took over for the night. By that time, laying down with my eyes closed was all I could manage. ALot of pain medication later....

and the next morning I was in exrucitating pain. I was woozy and let me tell you the "MAY HAVE" blah blah about symptoms.... You WILL have it, at least if you plunge your fingernail into your eye! Needless to say (and much to my dismay) I had to call out. Ray spent the day home in case I had to go to the Dr. and I took more Motrin, did the drops (which Burn..is this fair??) and laid down until almost 1pm with a cold washcloth on my closed eye.

Frantic calls to my mother (and her conference with a Dr. at her job) I'm given the sad news that in fact I'm a dork and did this to myself. Expect the self induced pain to last from 24 to 48 hours and since at the 24 hour mark, I was still hurting, I started praying for 48. I made it back to work today but my eye is sensitive to light and twingy.  It's still red and puffy but better so I had to laugh when I looked at it this morning and said "thank goodness, it looks better" When it still really looks pretty bad and people are saying "wow Amy, what did you do to your eye?"

So, DONT use the corner of your shirt to wipe your eye and dont plunge your fingernail in there either! (I hear the next most common cause is baby fingernails and tree branches so dont walk with your babies in the woods! lol)

ok, drops and bed...my eye still hurts but at least I see this screen again!