Eye care card
Information for patients from the Emergency Department
Please speak to a healthcare professional before following the advice below
A doctor / nurse practitioner has examined your eye today, and you have been diagnosed with a corneal abrasion / foreign object in your eye. The foreign object has been removed, or part of it has. Please be aware that metal foreign bodies may leave a rust ring.
If after using the drops / ointment you develop severe pain, redness, soreness, blurred vision, or if you are worried, please go back to the hospital that treated you. If they are closed, go to the Emergency Department at William Harvey Hospital Ashford.
How do I use my eye ointment?
Before using your ointment, wash your hands thoroughly and read the instructions on the label.
Use the ointment only on your injured eye. If you are given a different tube for each eye, make sure you use the correct tube.
Stand or sit down facing a mirror. Pull the lower lid of your affected eye down gently and add a strip of ointment to the inner surface of your lower lid. Try not to touch your eye with the ointment tube while doing this.
Close your eye and blink gently. With your eye closed, wipe the excess ointment off your eyelid / lashes with a clean tissue.
If you have any difficulty, it may be better to get someone to do it for you.
Replace the cap on the tube and store the tube in a cool place (not the fridge).
Eye ointment should not be used again after the course of treatment has finished. Throw away any ointment you have left.
How do I use my eye drops?
Before using your drops, wash your hands thoroughly and read the instructions on the label.
Use the drops only on your injured eye. If you are given a different bottle for each eye, make sure you use the correct bottle.
Lie or sit down with your head tilted back. Pull down the lower lid of your eye and look up.
Place a drop in the space between the lower lid and your eye. Try not to let the dropper touch your eye or eyelashes.
Close your eye for a few moments (do not rub it) then blink several times.
If you have any difficulty, it may be better to get someone to do it for you.
If you have to use two types of drops at the same time of day, wait five minutes before using the second type of drops.
Always store the bottle upright, firmly closed, in a cool place (not the fridge).
Eye drops should not be used again after the course of treatment has finished. Throw away any drops you have left.
How will my eye feel after the ointment / drops?
Your vision may be blurred for a short time afterwards. Do not drive or operate machinery until you can see clearly again.
What if I have a foreign body in my eye?
The doctor / nurse treating your eye may need to use local anaesthetic eye drops to numb your eye. This is so they can look at your eye and remove the foreign body without hurting you. The drops will sting, but only for a few seconds.
Your eye may feel okay when you leave hospital, but it may become uncomfortable again after about 30 minutes, as the local anaesthetic drops wear off. Use the treatment given to you by the doctor / nurse. If you have been prescribed eye ointment or drops, please follow the instructions above. If you have been given Chloramphenicol ointment / drops, please use these four times a day.
Should your eye give you some discomfort, you may take painkillers (such as paracetamol or ibuprofen) as advised by the doctor / nurse.
Do not rub or scratch your eye. Wearing sunglasses and avoiding bright lights for the first 24 hours will help.
Why have I been given an eye patch to wear?
You may need to wear an eye patch for two hours after the object has been removed from your eye, for comfort until you get home. Depending on how bad your injury is, you may be advised by the doctor or nurse to keep the patch on for 24 hours or longer.
Please do not smoke while wearing the patch, as they can ignite if exposed to a flame.
Can I drive straightaway?
We advise you not to drive following removal of the foreign body until the next day. If you have to drive, the patch must be removed before driving.
Please arrange for someone to collect you from hospital and take you home. Once you are in the car, you should close the windows and switch off the ventilation, to reduce the risk of any dust getting into your eye.
Will I need to come back to the hospital for a check-up?
If you still have any eye irritation after two or three days, you should return to the department that treated you so your eye can be reviewed. Return earlier if you develop severe pain, further redness, soreness and / or blurred vision, or if you are concerned in any way.
If after three days you have no further concerns, please continue to use the eye ointment for a further two days.