A corneal erosion or abrasion can occur when the cornea is scraped or injured. In these cases, there may be a loss of the corneal epithelium, the cornea's outer layer. These painful conditions quite commonly arise after a poke from a baby's fingernail or tree limbs and bushes, or vigorous rubbing of the eye. Sometimes they are caused by contact lenses.
Corneal disease can also be a contributing factor.
Detecting an erosion or abrasion requires the use of fluorescein dye, which highlights the injured tissue by causing it to fluoresce. The symptoms described above may not necessarily mean that you have a corneal erosion or abrasion. However, if you experience one or more of these symptoms, contact your eye doctor for a complete exam. The most common treatment is to patch the eye tightly. This allows the damaged corneal epithelium to heal.