Scratching your eye can be a painful and scary experience. Many people worry that they may have permanently damaged their vision, or that they need to rush to the emergency room or urgent care facility. In this blog, we'll share advice from our optometrist on what to do if you have a scratched eye.

What should you do when you scratch your eye?

The first thing you should do is call our office to discuss the particulars of your emergency. However the good thing is that in the vast majority of scratched eyes, the eye will heal up nicely after being seen by an optometrist.

Flush Your Eye with Saline or Eye Drops

Flushing your eye with saline or eye drops is an important first step if you think you have a scratch on your eye. Saline is a sterile solution that can help remove any debris that may be in your eye, such as dirt or dust. You can also use artificial tears or lubricating eye drops to help flush out your eye. Use a clean, disposable eye dropper or saline spray bottle and rinse your eye gently but thoroughly.

See Our Eye Doctor For Scratched Eye

After flushing your eye, it is essential to see our eye care professional. Our eye doctors have the expertise and equipment needed to assess the damage and treat your eye properly. They can determine whether you have a scratch, how deep it is, and whether there is any debris still in your eye. They can also check for signs of infection or other complications.

Visit Us at Amplify EyeCare of Greater Long Beach Instead of Urgent Care Centers for Eye Emergencies

While it may be tempting to go to an urgent care center if you are experiencing eye pain after a scratched eye, it's better to see our eye care professional. Urgent care centers are not equipped to provide the same level of care as our eye doctor. They may not have the specialized equipment needed to properly assess the damage and treat the eye. Therefore, it's always better to call our office and schedule an appointment. However, in case of after-hours or urgent situations when you are not able to see our eye doctor immediately, you can consider visiting an urgent care center or an emergency room. They can provide initial evaluation and basic treatment until you are able to see an eye care professional. Remember, timely intervention and proper care are crucial for eye injuries, especially if you have a scratch on your eye.

If you experience any changes in your vision after a scratched eye, it is important to schedule at any available clinic right away.

Our state of the art medical eye care clinic in Bellflower provides some of the most advanced medical and specialty eyecare available. If you don’t already have a trusted optometrist or live too far from our office in Bellflower, you might begin your search online by entering “eye doctor near me” or “emergency eye exam near me”.

Allow Time for Healing (after scheduling an emergency eye exam)

If the scratch is superficial and there is no foreign material in your eye, it may heal on its own in a couple of days. However, it's important to make sure that there is nothing in your eye that can lead to infection. This is why seeing our optometrist is essential. We may recommend using antibiotic eye drops or ointment to prevent infection. You should also avoid rubbing your eye, wearing contact lenses, or exposing your eye to bright lights until it has fully healed.

Preventing Eye Injuries

Prevention is the best way to avoid a scratched eye. Protect your eyes from harm by wearing safety glasses or goggles when working with tools or chemicals. Wear protective eyewear when playing sports, riding a bike or motorcycle, or doing any activity that may put your eyes at risk. If you have a child, make sure they wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing any activity that could lead to eye injuries.