Scratched Eye or Foreign Object in Covina, CA: Should You Go to Urgent Care or Your Local Eye Doctor?

A scratched eye or foreign object can quickly become painful and concerning. Dust, sand, plant material, metal particles, a contact lens, or even the edge of a piece of paper can injure the cornea. If you experience an eye injury in Covina, CA, knowing where to seek care can help protect your vision and prevent complications.

At Covina Hills Optometric Group, we provide eye emergency evaluations for injuries such as scratches and foreign objects. Prompt evaluation is important because what feels like a minor irritation may involve a corneal abrasion or material that is still trapped on the eye.

Signs You May Have a Scratched Cornea or Foreign Object

A corneal abrasion is a scratch on the clear surface at the front of the eye. Symptoms can occur immediately after an injury or develop after something becomes trapped beneath an eyelid.

Common symptoms include:

• Eye pain, stinging, or a gritty sensation
• Redness or excessive tearing
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurry or decreased vision
• The feeling that something is still in the eye

Even after a particle has been removed, a scratch can leave you feeling as though something is still there. An eye examination can determine whether the cornea has been damaged and whether treatment is needed.

When Should You See Your Local Eye Doctor?

For many non-penetrating eye injuries, your local eye doctor can be an appropriate first call. Eye doctors have specialized equipment to examine the cornea, eyelids, and other eye structures closely. A medical eye examination can help identify a corneal abrasion, locate a superficial foreign object, and check for signs of infection or more serious injury.

If you have eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, or a persistent foreign body sensation in Covina, contact our office promptly rather than waiting several days to see whether it improves. Contact lens wearers should also remove their lenses and avoid wearing them until the eye has been evaluated and it is safe to resume use.

What Should You Do Before Your Appointment?

If a loose speck of dust or debris enters the eye, gently rinsing the eye with clean water or sterile saline may help flush it away. Do not rub the eye or attempt to remove anything with tweezers, cotton swabs, or other objects. If something appears embedded in the eye, leave it in place and seek immediate medical attention.

Chemical exposure requires immediate flushing with plenty of water and urgent medical evaluation. Do not delay irrigation while arranging care.

When Is an Emergency Room More Appropriate?

Some eye injuries require hospital emergency care rather than a routine urgent care visit or office appointment. Go to an emergency room promptly for an object embedded in or penetrating the eye, significant vision loss, severe trauma, uncontrolled bleeding, or a serious chemical injury. High-speed injuries involving metal, glass, or power tools also deserve immediate attention because material can penetrate deeper than the surface.

When you are unsure where to go, calling your Covina eye doctor can help determine the appropriate next step based on how the injury occurred and the symptoms you are experiencing.

For prompt evaluation of a scratched eye, foreign object, or other eye emergency, contact Covina Hills Optometric Group in Covina, CA at (626) 508-7171.