Eye scratches could have a minor impact or a serious one, depending on its cause. As in the case of other injuries in the eye, eye scratches should not remain neglected. Taking proper steps to treat them, ensure their safety and keep infections at bay.
Listed below are 7 important things to know about eye scratches:
1) If you get a scratch in your eye, rinse it
Some people unthinkingly rub their eyes after a minor scratch, but this is not a good practice. The right action is to gently rinse the scratched eye with water. Doing this would help you wash away the tiny foreign substance that may have entered your eye, thereby preventing the risk of further eye scratches.
Apart from rinsing the scratched eye, it is also encouraged to get the injury checked, in order to lower the risk of infections. You could have them treated by one of the eye specialists at Disha Eye Hospitals; one of the best eye hospitals in Kolkata. Disha houses a team of highly-qualified and well-experienced eye doctors who do their best to provide instant relief.
2) How eye scratches occur
There are several ways in which eye scratches could come about. Some of the very common ones are physical injuries (e.g. a blow in the eye or being hit by a ball in the eye), wearing contact lenses carelessly, using an eye make-up applicator in the inner eyelid, wearing false lashes, spending time in a dusty environment, etc.
3) Symptoms of eye scratches
A spot of blood in the eye and a scratched line are two of the most common symptoms that appear in case of eye scratches. Other symptoms may include irritation (something that is stuck in the eye), pain, sensitivity to light, blurred vision and headache.
4) Complications of eye scratches
The medical term for eye scratch is corneal abrasion. If left untreated, corneal abrasion could lead to serious complications such as traumatic iritis, corneal ulcers, recurrent erosion syndrome, and bacterial keratitis.
5) Lowering the risk of eye scratches
The main determinants that lead to an eye scratch could be avoided. Some of the effective steps to lower the chance of eye scratches are: avoiding to wear contact lenses when sleeping, avoiding to touch the eyes frequently, wearing eye protection when engaged in injury-prone outdoor activities and avoiding dusty environment.
6) Dos of treating eye scratches
When treating your eye scratch, make sure to apply eye drops and/or ointment as prescribed by your doctor to lower the risk of infection, and make possible fast healing. Make sure not to strain your eyes by looking at the computer and mobile phone screen for long hours.
7) Healing time for an eye scratch
Minor eye scratches normally heal on their own and within a short period of time. However, serious eye scratches take more time to heal. An eye doctor can help you shorten the healing time for your eye scratch with the right treatment option.
The specialists at Disha Eye Hospitals could aid you in treating your eye scratch in the correct way, keeping the risk of further complications at bay. To book an appointment online, visit http://www.dishaeye.org/appointment