What to do
Go to an emergency department now
- The eye was hit by anything moving fast - grinding, hammering, drilling, a power tool, glass, or an explosion
- A chemical splash, or anything that may have penetrated the eye
- Sudden loss of vision
A fragment travelling at speed can enter the eye through a wound that seals itself, causing very little pain. Go even if the eye feels almost normal and you can see nothing wrong. That needs imaging, which a clinic cannot do.
Call us today
- You wear contact lenses
- Something still feels stuck and will not settle
- Pain, light sensitivity, or blurred vision that is not easing
Likely not urgent
- A mild scratchy or gritty feeling that is already settling
- No contact lens wear, no change in vision
Not sure which of these applies to you? Call us and describe what is happening, or reach Health811 for free nurse advice 24 hours a day at 1-866-797-0000.
A corneal abrasion is a scratch on the clear front surface of the eye. It is painful out of proportion to its size because the cornea carries one of the densest concentrations of pain nerve endings in the body - that is not a sign the injury is severe, just how the cornea is built. A straightforward scratch usually heals within a day or two.
What not to do
Do not rub the eye - rubbing turns a small surface scratch into a deeper injury. Do not try to remove anything that looks embedded in the eye itself; only clear away something sitting loosely on the surface, like a lash or a speck of dust. Do not press on the eye, and do not patch or bandage it yourself.
Do not use leftover prescription drops, yours or anyone else’s, before the eye has been looked at. Steroid drops in particular can make an undiagnosed infection considerably worse, and old steroid bottles circulate in households from a previous course of treatment. If you have already used something, bring the bottle and tell us.
What happens when you come in
We ask what happened, when, and whether you wear contact lenses, then examine the eye at the slit lamp, often using a drop of dye called fluorescein to highlight any damage. That tells us whether this is a simple abrasion, whether anything remains on the surface, and whether there is any early sign of ulcer risk for contact lens wearers. If you need specialist care, we refer you directly and send our findings along.
Common questions
- What should I do if I scratch my eye?
- Do not rub the eye - rubbing turns a small scratch into a deeper injury. How it happened matters: if the eye was struck by anything moving fast, such as grinding, hammering, drilling, a power tool, or breaking glass, go to an emergency department now, even if the eye feels normal. Otherwise, blink and let tears flush the surface; rinsing loose debris with clean water or saline can help, but do not remove anything that looks embedded, and do not press on or patch the eye. Take out a contact lens if you wear one, then call us and describe what happened.
- Does it matter how the eye was scratched?
- Yes, more than how the eye feels. If the eye was hit by anything travelling fast - grinding, hammering, drilling, a power tool, breaking glass, or an explosion - go to an emergency department now, even if the eye feels normal and looks fine. A fragment moving at speed can enter the eye through a wound that seals behind it, causing very little pain. Nothing about how the eye looks or feels rules that out - finding it needs imaging, which a clinic cannot do. A metal fragment left inside the eye can cause damage over time, so check the same day, not after waiting to see if it settles.
- How long does a scratched cornea take to heal?
- Most simple corneal abrasions heal within a day or two. The surface layer of the cornea regenerates quickly, and the sharp pain usually eases within that window, though the eye can feel tender or light-sensitive a little longer. Larger or deeper scratches take longer. An early exam still matters: it confirms the scratch is simple, rules out anything embedded or infected, and lets us guide what helps it close cleanly rather than leaving it to chance.
- Should I go to the hospital for a scratched eye?
- Not usually. A straightforward corneal abrasion - pain, tearing, light sensitivity, and a foreign-body feeling, without a penetrating injury or chemical exposure - is something an optometrist can assess directly with a slit lamp. Go straight to an emergency department instead for a chemical splash, anything that may have penetrated the eye, a significant injury, or an injury where the eye was struck by something moving fast, such as grinding, hammering, or breaking glass. For an ordinary scratch or a foreign-body sensation that will not settle, call us and we will tell you how quickly you need to be seen.
- What if something is still stuck in my eye?
- Do not try to remove it yourself, and do not rub the eye. If it still feels like something is there after blinking and rinsing gently with clean water, or you can see something embedded in the surface rather than sitting loosely on it, stop trying to get it out and call us the same day. If an object is embedded or the eye may have been penetrated, do not press on it or attempt removal at all - see our page on urgent eye problems for what to do and when it means going straight to an emergency department.
- Why does a small scratch hurt so much?
- The cornea has one of the highest concentrations of pain nerve endings in the body, far denser than skin - it relies on being extremely sensitive to warn you something is wrong, rather than on thicker, protective tissue. A corneal abrasion that is barely visible can produce pain, tearing, and light sensitivity out of proportion to its size. That is not a sign the injury is severe - it is simply how the cornea is built. The reverse does not hold, though: an eye that hurts very little can still be seriously injured, which is why how the injury happened matters more than how much it hurts.
- Can I wear contact lenses while it heals?
- No. Leave your contact lenses out until the eye has been examined and has fully healed. A contact lens sits directly on the corneal surface, and wearing one over a scratch, even a small one, raises the risk of trapping bacteria against the injury and turning a simple abrasion into an infection. Switch to glasses for the duration, and do not reinsert your lenses until we have confirmed the surface has closed.
- Is it dangerous if it happened while wearing contacts?
- Yes - this is the distinction that matters most on this page. A scratch under a contact lens, or in someone who wears lenses regularly, carries a real risk of progressing to a corneal ulcer - an infection of the cornea that can threaten vision if not caught early. This changes how quickly the eye needs to be seen: the same day, not the next available opening. Take the lens out, do not put it back in, and call us right away - mention that you wear contacts even if it seems obvious.
Related
- Urgent eye problems - optometrist vs ER - chemical splash first aid and what to do about an embedded object
- Red eye - optometrist, walk-in clinic, or emergency room? - a different urgent symptom and how contact lenses change it
- Do I need an appointment? - how walk-ins and urgent problems are handled
Urgent eye problems
We assess urgent eye problems in the office, treat what falls within optometric scope, and refer to ophthalmology when a specialist is needed. We keep time available for urgent problems where we can.
Call us at 416-703-2797 and describe what is happening. Staff can tell you whether to come here or go straight to an emergency department.
Scratched your eye, or something is still in it?
Do not rub it. Call us and describe what happened. If you wear contact lenses, say so, because that changes how quickly you need to be seen.
Prefer to talk first? Call or text us at 416-703-2797.
Spadina Optometry has cared for downtown Toronto patients since 2002 — an independent practice where the same team knows your eyes year after year.
Last reviewed: August 13, 2026