Corneal Abrasion

[Mandy]

Hi Everyone

Aplogies for the silly question but a corneal abrasion is new for me and some advice would be gratefully appreciated.

First a bit of background....
I've been feeling a little run down over the last few weeks and had a nasty bug for a while, which the doctor signed me off work for. During that time my eyes were a bit sensitive.

However, just before I was due to return to work, for no apparent reason, my left eye (which is my weaker eye) would not stop watering and really hurt even without the lens in my eye. Also, I was really light sensitive.

My GP thought I had conjuctivitis but Moorfields later confirmed that I had a corneal abrasion. I was feeling very miserable and frustrated about not being able to wear my lens. However, thankfully it seems to have sorted itself out and I'm now trying to build up my lenses wearing time again.

What I would like to know is:
1. How common is a corneal abrasion? Do many KC'ers get this? and
2. What causes this?

I would be glad to hear from anyone who has a view on this.
Thanks

[mike scott]

hi mandy

corneal abrasions with KC is very common, and yes most KC ers who wear lenses experience them at some time or another, and some times frequently.

causes can be through increased friction ( your lens grating on the cornea)from being run down as you suggest, dry eyes in which case moisturising solution can help, protein build up on the lens can cause it or even a speck of dirt blown in by the wind. over wear can cause the dreaded bad eye day as well, so listening to your eyes is wise , ie when youve had enough dont force it and take your lenses out to give your eyes a break. the usual course of action would be to abstain from lens wear for as long as you have to and it usually heals after a few days, the risk is to prolong or force lens wear time whilst the abrasion is present and cause possible scarring , which you want to avoid as far as possible.

i'm sure you will get further advice on this , but hope this helps so far.

take care of yourself

mike

[Andrew MacLean]

Mandy

I am afraid that corneal abrasions are so common as to be virtually the universal experience of people with KC. You do not actually need to wear contact lenses for this to happen; the cornea becomes so thin and the epithelial cells so fragile that a good eye rub will sometimes open a gap in the epithelium.

Sometimes an infection gets in and the simple abrasion begins to suppurate. A course of chloramphenicol usually knocked this on the head for me. In fact, so prone was I to this sort of experience that my former consultant and my GP set up a system of self-diagnosis so that I only had to phone the surgery and I could collect a prescription for chloramphenicol and then arrange an appointment to see my GP.

Andrew

[GarethB]

The only way I know I have a corneal abrasion is when I put my lens in and it hurts, remove it, give it a good rinse and it still hurst when the lens goes back in.

When that happens, I go without the lens for a day or two, using the Systane more than normal and all is well again.

It always occurs after I have had something go in my eye. Although a few minutes after prolific tearing all is well, I have learn to get my lens out ASAP and rince the lens and my eye with saline. This has drastically reduced the incident rate which was not too bad before, perhaps a couple or three times per year. Only had it once in the past 12 months.

[Matthew_]

I have one in each eye at the moment (abrasions that is ).
As has been mentioned they are common but too painful to be lightly dismissed!
I think mine may be due to Hayfever, this time around. My optom said that Hayfever, makes the corneal surface even less stable and more prone to abrasion. I gave both eyes a break squirting in lots of systane and hayfever drops plus viscotears overnight. The right eye is a lot better now but the left is still very sensitive, so I am going to give the left eye a longer break perhaps another week. I think you have to be patient and give your eyes a break as soon as you think something is wrong!

[kerrie trim]

Hi

I've got one on each eye, too! Hospital has diagnosed them as ulcers, but the lens fitter thinks they are lens related abrasions (as they are very big, lens shaped and the same place on each eye!). It's good (in some ways) to hear that this is a regular part of KC - at least it's normal (tho of course if it's this common they're going to return aren't they?!)
I've only been given steroid eye drops for mine, not the chloramphenicol, and it's been over two months, still not healed completely - does this sound reasonable to those who've experienced this? I'm despairing of ever being able to see again!

Kerrie

[GarethB]

Abrasions can lead to ulcers.

The easist way to reduce the risk is to make sure you do not over wear your lenses and I think this is where it is good to have 1 day per week away from lens wear to allow the cornea surface to recover.

As soon as I get anythingin my eye, it is a case of removing and cleaning the lens and rinsing my eye with saline at the first opertunity. I have a small case which has travel solutions from Boots and a small 120ml saline so I am not carrying too much all wrapped in atowel to make a temporary lens change surface that is clean and will protect the lens if it drops out my eye.

2005 was when I hat it bad and had to go a week without lenses, since then, when this has happend it has only been a couple of days without major lens wear. By that I mean I wear my lenses so I can drive to work and then go until I leave without lenses.

While we can see, it is very easy to get carried away and wear our lenses for too long, even when they are uncomfortable.

[Mandy]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I left my lens out for a week and tried to manage with one lens, which took me a while to adapt to.

I'm now wearing both lenses and I am slowly building up my wearing time. I'm trying not to wear them too long!
Once gain thanks everyone, its good to know that I'm not alone:)

[Michael P]

Hi Mandy

Sorry to hear about your problem and glad it is on the mend.