
Warning Signs That Your Cornea Problems Need Immediate Attention

Corneal abrasions alone account for nearly 13% of all eye-related emergency department visits, but many patients often dismiss early warning signs that could prevent serious complications or permanent vision loss.
Unlike many eye conditions that develop slowly, cornea emergencies often require same-day treatment to avoid permanent scarring or vision loss. People who recognize warning signs early have much better outcomes than those who delay treatment.
Stephen Khachikian, MD, is a cornea specialist in Rapid City, South Dakota. Here, he describes six subtle warning signs that you need immediate attention for a cornea problem.
1. Pain that worsens instead of improving
Most people expect eye injuries to hurt initially and then gradually feel better. Cornea problems often intensify over several hours as inflammation spreads deeper into the tissue.
This escalating pain happens because your cornea contains more nerve endings per square millimeter than almost any other part of your body. When those nerves detect ongoing damage, they send increasingly urgent signals to your brain.
2. Sudden vision changes in one eye
Corneal swelling can alter how light enters your eye, creating vision changes that seem to come from nowhere. You might notice that straight lines appear wavy, colors look washed out, or everything seems slightly out of focus in the affected eye.
These changes occur because corneal edema disrupts the smooth optical surface that your eye depends on for clear vision. The swelling can result from infection, chemical exposure, or physical trauma that initially seemed minor.
3. Sensitivity that makes normal indoor lighting unbearable
Photophobia (light sensitivity) from cornea problems can feel like someone is stabbing your eye with needles, even when you’re exposed to dim lighting. This extreme reaction occurs because inflamed corneal nerves become hyperactive and have an extreme response to normal stimuli.
4. Discharge that changes color or consistency
Clear tearing from an irritated cornea is normal, but certain types of discharge signal serious infection:
- Thick yellow or green material that accumulates in the corner of your eye
- Discharge that returns quickly after wiping it away
- Mucus that dries into crusts on your eyelashes overnight
- Any discharge accompanied by increasing redness around the colored part of your eye
Bacterial infections of the cornea can progress rapidly, sometimes causing permanent vision loss within 24-48 hours if left untreated.
5. Contact lens complications
Contact lens wearers face unique corneal risks that can escalate quickly. Sleeping in contacts, even sometimes, significantly increases infection risk. The reduced oxygen supply creates an environment where dangerous bacteria can multiply rapidly.
Red eyes from sleeping in contacts indicates that your cornea isn’t getting adequate oxygen, and continuing to wear lenses can lead to corneal neovascularization, where blood vessels grow into the normally clear cornea to supply needed oxygen.
6. Foreign object sensations that persist after flushing
The feeling that something is stuck in your eye usually resolves after thorough rinsing with clean water. When that sensation continues for more than an hour after irrigation, you may have a corneal foreign body that requires professional removal.
Trying to remove embedded particles yourself often pushes them deeper or causes additional scratches. Metal fragments can rust within hours, creating toxic deposits that stain the cornea permanently.
If you’re experiencing severe eye pain, sudden vision changes, or signs of possible infection, don’t wait to get help. Call Stephen Khachikian, MD, at 605-203-4256 immediately. Corneal emergencies treated within hours of symptom onset have much better outcomes than those that wait until the next day.
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