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Corneal abrasion

Corneal abrasions are a small scratch on the cornea, the clear window at the front of the eye. They are generally a result of trauma (injury) to the surface of the eye. Common causes include a fingernail scratching the eye, walking into something, and getting grit in the eye, particularly if the eye is then rubbed. Injuries can also be caused by contact lens insertion and removal.

  • Abrasions are very painful because there are many nerves that supply the cornea.The pain gets better as your eye heals, but this can take between 24 and 48 hours.If the abrasion involves the central part of your cornea, your vision could also be temporarily affected.Apart from the pain, your eye might be watery, red and sensitive to light.

    If your eye becomes increasingly red or painful, your sight becomes more blurred or you develop very noticeable and spreading redness together with a lot of swelling of the eyelids, you must contact the Practice Manager of your consultant or visit A&E at Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Road, London EC1V 2PD.

  • Treatment generally involves a thorough examination of your eye and lids, to check for any trapped foreign body or grit and ensure there is no serious eye injury, followed by drops or ointment and, sometimes, an eye pad.If you are given an eye pad, you will need to keep it on for between 12 and 24 hours; if you find this uncomfortable,you can take it off and use sunglasses instead.
    You should also note the following:

    • You may take ordinary pain killers, such as paracetamol, to help with the pain
    • Avoid rubbing or touching your eye
    • If you wear contact lenses, don’t use them until your eye is completely healed;you need to see your contact lens practitioner after finishing treatment for your abrasion before you wear your contact lenses again

    If you are asked to use drops or ointments, please follow these steps:

    • Lie down, or lean your head back, and look up
    • Use a clean finger to gently pull down your lower eyelid to create a pocket
    • If you are using eye drops, gently squeeze them into the pocket you have created,not directly onto your eye
    • If you are using ointment, apply a small strip into the pocket
    • Blink to spread the medication over your eye

    If your eye becomes increasingly red or painful, your sight becomes more blurred or you develop very noticeable and spreading redness together with a lot of swelling of the eyelids, you must contact the Practice Manager of your consultant or visit A&E at Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Road, London EC1V 2PD. Remember though that if your consultant or nurses put in pupil dilating (enlarging) drops, your sight will normally be blurred for 12-24 hours after these were put in.

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Corneal abrasion consultants

A picture of Professor David Gartry

Professor David Gartry


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Zubin Saihan

Mr Zubin Saihan


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Jaheed Khan

Mr Jaheed Khan


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Professor  Frank Larkin

Professor Frank Larkin


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Sajjad Ahmad

Mr Sajjad Ahmad


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Miss Emma Jones

Miss Emma Jones


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Vincenzo Maurino

Mr Vincenzo Maurino


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Alexander Ionides

Mr Alexander Ionides


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Miss Su-yin Koay

Miss Su-yin Koay


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Miss Linda Ficker

Miss Linda Ficker


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Anant Sharma

Mr Anant Sharma


Consultant ophthalmic surgeon (private practice in Bedford only)

A picture of Miss Poornima Rai

Miss Poornima Rai


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of  Maria Theodorou

Maria Theodorou


Consultant Ophthalmologist

A picture of Mr George Voyatzis

Mr George Voyatzis


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Miss Pei-Fen Lin

Miss Pei-Fen Lin


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Alfonso Vasquez-Perez

Mr Alfonso Vasquez-Perez


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Ms Sharon Heng

Ms Sharon Heng


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Kamran Saha

Mr Kamran Saha


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Romil Patel

Mr Romil Patel


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Rajesh Deshmukh

Mr Rajesh Deshmukh


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

A picture of Mr Martin Watson

Mr Martin Watson


Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

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Paying for treatment

Private Medical Insurance

If you are covered by private medical insurance, please verify the details with your insurer prior to arrival and if possible, obtain a pre-authorisation number.

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Self pay

You don’t have to be insured to come to Moorfields Private. Many of our patients pay for their own treatment.

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Interest free payment plans

We offer payment plans via a 3rd party provider for the majority of cases within the following procedures:

You are able to apply for interest free payment plans for over up to ten months, subject to a credit check and Terms and Conditions. No deposit is required.

For more information please speak to your consultant’s practice manager prior to your consultation.

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Third party sponsorship

​If a company, employer or other third party agrees to settle your account, they will be required to provide a letter of guarantee along with a deposit.

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