What is the duration of a corneal abrasion?

From the Guidelines

A corneal scratch typically heals within 1-3 days for minor abrasions, while deeper scratches may take up to one week to heal completely. The healing process can be influenced by various factors, including the depth and size of the scratch, as well as the overall health of the cornea [ 1 ]. Treatment usually involves antibiotic eye drops to prevent infection, applied 4 times daily for the duration recommended by your doctor (usually 5-7 days) [ 1 ].

Key Considerations

• Pain management can include over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and lubricating eye drops to reduce discomfort.
• While healing, avoid rubbing your eyes, wear sunglasses outdoors to reduce light sensitivity, and remove contact lenses until fully healed.
• The cornea has remarkable healing abilities due to its rich nerve supply and ability to regenerate epithelial cells quickly [ 1 ].
• However, if you experience worsening pain, vision changes, or symptoms that don't improve after 24-48 hours, seek immediate medical attention as complications like infection can develop and potentially cause permanent vision damage [ 1 ].

Prevention of Infection

• Topical antibiotics should be prescribed to prevent acute bacterial keratitis in patients who wear contact lenses and present with a corneal abrasion [ 1 ].
• A broad-spectrum topical antibiotic is recommended for any patient presenting with corneal abrasion following trauma [ 1 ].
• Prophylactic topical antibiotics following corneal abrasion has been shown to prevent ulceration when treatment is started within 24 hours of the abrasion [ 1 ].

From the Research

Duration of Corneal Scratch

• The duration of a corneal scratch can vary, but most studies suggest that it can last anywhere from a few days to a week 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• According to a study published in 2013, the epithelium was healed in all patients at day 7 3.
• Another study published in 2016 states that pain improves significantly after 24 hours and should be resolved by 48 hours 6.
• A study published in 2022 found that 31 (44.3%) participants in the fusidic acid arm and 34 (46.6%) participants in the chloramphenicol arm were cured at day 1, defined as the area of abrasion zero and no infection 2.
• The same study also found that at day 3,169 (100%) participants in the chloramphenicol-clotrimazole arm and 203 (99%) out of 205 participants in the chloramphenicol-placebo arm were cured without any complication, defined as complete epithelialization of the cornea without evidence of infection 2.

Factors Affecting Duration

• The size and depth of the abrasion can affect the duration of the corneal scratch 4, 5.
• The presence of infection or other complications can also prolong the duration of the corneal scratch 2, 4, 6.
• The treatment method used can also impact the duration of the corneal scratch, with some studies suggesting that topical antibiotics and pain relief medications can help reduce the duration of the scratch 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.