How Are Cornea Abrasions Treated?

Ouch! It’s no fun to have a cornea abrasion. Fortunately, abrasions frequently heal up quickly and without any added issue. But while it’s healing, it is important that your cornea remains protected.

So here’s the thing. The epithelium of the cornea provides a fantastic barrier to bad guys such as bacteria. With an abrasion, there is a break in that epithelium. Bacteria suddenly have open access to invading the cornea. Fortunately there are other protections in place such as our tear film, but it's important to supplement our body’s own natural protections when an abrasion is present. This is done through the simple wonder of antibiotics. While the abrasion is healing up, taking an antibiotic just can prevent the bacteria from gaining any sort of foothold and causing an infection.

So ok, we can protect the eye with an antibiotic, but what can be done to make the abrasion feel more comfortable? Really the best solution is simply just lubrication. Rubbing of the eyelid over the bare and sensitive cornea will be very uncomfortable. Using artificial tears, (or better yet an antibiotic ointment) can reduce that friction to help the eye feel better. It really is just that simple.

So don’t despair if you get an abrasion, the epithelium will heal up quickly over time. But in the meantime, starting some simple treatments such as an antibiotic ointment will help keep they eye healthy and feeling a little bit better.

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