About corneal injuries

Which of the following statements is true regarding corneal injuries?

• A) Patients should have the affected eye patched for 24 hours.
• B) Topical antibiotics are recommended to prevent superinfection.
• C) Foreign bodies should not be removed because of potential further injury to the cornea.
• D) Topical anesthetics should be g...iven to treat the discomfort.
• E) None of the above.

Answer and Discussion

The answer is B.
Controlled studies have not found patching to improve the rate of healing or comfort in patients with traumatic or foreign body abrasions. Patients should be treated with topical antibiotics to prevent superinfection. If a corneal foreign body is detected, an attempt can be made to remove it by irrigation. Topical anesthetics should never be administered or prescribed for pain relief because they delay corneal epithelial healing.