In the summertime, most people spend their time enjoying a leisurely day at the beach. With a gust of wind, your eyes can hurt and water uncontrollably because of the sand that accidentally gets in your eyes. The fun is ruined when this happens. It is uncomfortable when sand gets in your eyes. The sand can potentially hurt the delicate tissues in your eyes.
Do not panic when sand gets in your eyes. You should take action carefully and as soon as possible. You can get your sand out without creating damage. What you should do is rinse the eye with saline if you feel that sand gets in your eye. If saline is not available, you can use water to rinse it.
When you are wearing contact lenses when it happens, remove them if possible. Do not rub your eye when there is sand because it can cause damage because of its sharp edges. Never use any tools or fingers to remove the sand because it can result in abrasion and increases your risk of infection. Protect your eyes from the bright sunlight because your eyes may be irritated and red from the sand which makes them hypersensitive to the sunlight.
What Should I Do if Problems Persist?
Eyes will automatically water heavily to flush the sand out. Even if you try to irrigate the eye, scratches can still occur which is known to be corneal abrasion. The cornea which is the clear tissue that protects the pupil and the iris are responsible when your eyes are focusing.
These are the symptoms if you suffer from corneal abrasion:
- Pain in the eye mostly when you open and close your eyelid
- Feeling that there is a foreign particle inside the eye
- Sensitive to light
- Blurry vision
- Redness
- Excessive tearing
How Can I Treat Corneal Abrasion?
If you think you have a corneal abrasion, visit your eye doctor as soon as possible. Getting your eyes checked will help to determine if you have a problem or will be needing treatment. Your cornea and eyelids will be inspected under bright lights and magnification. A dye will be applied to reveal if there are any scratches.
Topical antibiotic drops will be prescribed by eye doctors to prevent infection. Medication may be given if you feel any pain. People who have minor scratches in their cornea usually recover within one to three days. To prevent eye damage, bring a pair of shades if you go to the beach to keep the sand out.
