This condition is usually caused by something sharped that has got into the eye or a hit in the eye with considerable force. A corneal tear is more serious than corneal abrasion. If the corneal tear is deep enough (a tear over the whole thickness), this causes corneal perforation.
Corneal tear is a very serious type of trauma that requires immediate medical help to avoid vision loss.
If your eye is hurt, you must do the following:
- Carefully place a protective sheath over the eye
- DO NOT wash with water
- DO NOT take out the object in the eye
- DO NOT rub or put pressure on the eye
- AVOID taking aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroid anti-inflammatory medications. They thin the blood and can increase bleeding.
Surgery is usually a necessary step to correct the corneal tear and prevent further damage to the eye. Heavy tears can require multiple surgeries, but even so lead to permanent vision loss.