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Original poster

Scratched eyeball

45 replies

Talkabtit101 · 25/02/2025 21:28

Posting here for traffic really as i dont know what to do, Thursday morning @ 4am I woke up and went to rub my eye, instead poked/scratched it with my middle finger instead, it did as you'd expect, hurt and watered and then seemed ok.

However since then whenever i rub my eyes or touch my eyes, it hurts and tonight has been especially bad, i had a cry earlier ( unrelated ) and since then it's really been playing me up. It's watering again, hurts again, I've took pictures and had a look in the mirror but can't see any redness or anything.

What should I do? Is it the rubbing : touching that's irritating it? I don't suppose there's an eye specialist here is there? Grin As google is telling me to go to A&E as it's been over 48 hours and a big flash from the phone hurts my eye.

Any ideas anyone please? Thank you in advance.

OP posts:
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whoami24601 · 25/02/2025 21:32

I've had a scratched cornea twice. It was the most painful experience of my life (and I've had 3 kids!) The first time I went to hospital but tbh there's not a lot they can do for it. The second time I was on holiday so just dosed up on painkillers and waited it out. The good news is that eyes heal themselves really well. Depending on whether you've gone in or across your cornea (ask me how I know 🙄) it can take anywhere between 48 hours to about a week to heal. If you have a minor injuries unit it might be good to just get them to take a look, but otherwise you just need to give it time. Hope that helps!

Dolamroth · 25/02/2025 21:35

Get the optician to have a look at it. They can refer you to hospital if needed.

iamsoshocked · 25/02/2025 21:35

I scratched my eyeball once (actually my newborn baby did it!) and it hurt like hell.
I ended up at the eye hospital, but all they said they could do was put a patch over it for a few days. I think it healed in a couple of days. Good luck.

Original poster
Talkabtit101 · 25/02/2025 21:35

@whoami24601 Phew thank you! I was hoping someone had did something similar.... as google tells you to run straight to hospital, it seems ok unless I'm looking at a super bright light and then it waters, but that's only since rubbing earlier after the crying.

Will see how it is in the morning 😊

OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 25/02/2025 21:35

Agree with going to an optician in the morning.

Pussycat22 · 25/02/2025 21:36

Go to A and E, you can't always see scratches on your eyeballs. If you go to Aand E they will put drops in which will show up any damage. Don't leave it to chance, you could end up with a serious eye infection.

DistractMe · 25/02/2025 21:36

I'd get it checked out at minor injuries. They can apply a topical anaesthetic to give you temporary relief, as well as checking the damage to your eye is only temporary.

Original poster
Talkabtit101 · 25/02/2025 21:38

To everyone saying go A&E, the rye has only started acting up since the crying earlier after I was rubbing it, I have health anxiety so trying to not get worked up about it.

There's nothing I can see in the eye that is any different to my left eye, there's no redness, no colour change, it just feels like something is stuck in the corner of my eye, but hurts and stings whenever I'm staring at the bright phone.

OP posts:
ForPearlViper · 25/02/2025 21:42

whoami24601 · 25/02/2025 21:32

I've had a scratched cornea twice. It was the most painful experience of my life (and I've had 3 kids!) The first time I went to hospital but tbh there's not a lot they can do for it. The second time I was on holiday so just dosed up on painkillers and waited it out. The good news is that eyes heal themselves really well. Depending on whether you've gone in or across your cornea (ask me how I know 🙄) it can take anywhere between 48 hours to about a week to heal. If you have a minor injuries unit it might be good to just get them to take a look, but otherwise you just need to give it time. Hope that helps!

I got a scratch in the eye by a spiky branch. I went to A&E and they checked it but didn't do anything.

Like @whoami24601 I found it insanely painful but it healed in 36 hrs. Hospital just recommended salt water eye baths

Headabovetheparapets · 25/02/2025 21:42

Have you got/can you get some lubricant eye drops? (Hypromellose, aqua gel, celluvisc or similar, people who wear contact lenses often have them)
What can happen is that as the cornea heals it’s quite fragile so even a little rub re scratches the surface & sometimes the eyelid can cause it particularly on waking from sleep. Crying also temporarily weakens the quality of your tears so they don’t lubricate your eye as well leading to a gritty sensation. Lubricant drops help support the tear film while the cornea heals.

Original poster
Talkabtit101 · 25/02/2025 21:42

@Hankunamatata

Closest one is 14 miles away, and at 10pm, with a sleeping 5 year old I don't think I'll be able to go. I have to go and collect new glasses tomorrow morning. So I'll speak to the opticians there.

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ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 25/02/2025 21:42

I managed to scratch about a third of the front of my eyeball once. The pain was horrific. I went to the hospital and they put dye in it and looked at it thoroughly, but then just sent me home to heal naturally. I think they gave me some eyedrops to help with the pain and stop it getting infected. It was significantly better after a week. But I spent a couple of days basically having to keep my eyes closed all the time. I cannot wink (don’t know why, my eyelids just don’t seem to operate independently), so I literally just kept my eyes closed for a few days because it was agony to open them. DH rushed out and bought me some audio books (on cassette!). My eye is now absolutely fine.

ExtraOnions · 25/02/2025 21:43

I did mine a couple of weeks ago .. rammed a make up brush in it. Hurt / watered for about 48 hours, I put a patch on, kept away from bright light, and it settled

Original poster
Talkabtit101 · 25/02/2025 21:44

It felt completely fine until tonight when I started crying and then I rubbed it and it started hurting again, watering. I'm wondering if the crying or rubbing has irritated it.

OP posts:
Princesspollyyy · 25/02/2025 21:47

Hope you are ok. I've had a corneal abrasion before and it's very very painful. As you're going to the optician tomorrow anyway, I would ask if they can look at it for you.

Hopefully it may feel better by the morning x

Spondoolies · 25/02/2025 21:50

I have been to A&E with one as it was excruciating, unbearable pain, they gave me some ointment or something which numbed the pain immediately

Canwehavesunshineplease · 25/02/2025 21:51

My husband scratched my eye once when he turned over in bed, it bloomin hurt and in the morning it was still painful and I struggled to keep my eye open, light made it worse. I went to the pharmacy first and think I got some eye wash from them, then they suggested A&E so went there, they did put a dye in to check for any damage but wasn’t concerned and think I had just a small light scratch, they gave me some eye drops and it was fine over the next day or two. In your case it’s been going on for nearly a week so I would get it checked it out, you may have just suffered a slightly deeper scratch that will take longer to heal but best to get it looked at I think

Spondoolies · 25/02/2025 21:51

If it is just feeling irritated then I wouldn’t worry too much

Pussycat22 · 25/02/2025 21:51

Please do NOT use other people's eye drops!!!

AngryLikeHades · 25/02/2025 21:52

That sounds insanely painful.

Lindy2 · 25/02/2025 21:54

I'd go to either an optician or a walk in centre tomorrow morning.

I scratched my eye once (or rather my toddler scratched it by accidentally sticking her finger in it). The walk in centre assessed it and gave me antibiotics drops. It did sting but like others have said, eyes generally heal very quickly, thank goodness. What you want to avoid though is any risk of infection.

Having a cry may actually have been a good way to clean the eye a bit, so probably a good thing - although I do hope you're not too sad about something.

Louise121806 · 25/02/2025 21:57

I've had a corneal abrasion and it's annoying. Mine was sore but also really sensitive to light. I went to the eye hospital, they just gave me some lubricating eye cream - like a thin petroleum, I think you can get it from the chemist. I had to wear sun glasses 🤣 it felt better after a few days. I think it's likely the crying has irritated it. I'd personally ask the pharmacist for advice and sit it out for a few days. If it gets worse, then go to to the opticians and they will advise you.

Frogss · 25/02/2025 21:58

I once scratched my eye, couldn't open it for 2 days without watering and shutting itself! Saw opticians, small scratch, they said to use hydrating eye drops for 2 weeks. Within few hours of eye drops, I could open my eye again!

VenusClapTrap · 25/02/2025 22:07

I scratched mine on a thorn and had to go to A&E. They gave me lubricating eye drops. If you don’t use them, then overnight your eyelid can stick to the healing wound and reopen it when you wake up and open your eye - which really stings. It took a long time for my scratch to heal and my vision never seemed quite the same, although the optician said it was fine.