Eye Diseases and Conditions Slideshow Pictures Pink Eye Slideshow Pictures Cataracts Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

J. Bradley Randleman, MD

J. Bradley Randleman, MD

Dr. Randleman received his BA degree from Columbia University in New York City. He earned his MD degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He completed his residency training at Emory University, serving as Chief Resident in his final year. He then completed a fellowship in Cornea/External disease and refractive surgery at Emory University.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medications After You Go Home

• For very minor injuries, you may need nothing more than artificial tears or lubricants for dry eyes.
  
  
• For more significant injuries, you will need prolonged therapy with potentially many medications to heal your eye.
  
  
  • Until the surface of the eye heals, it is at a higher risk for an infection; therefore, topical antibiotics may be used in the form of eyedrops or ointments.
    
    
  • Topical steroids are used to reduce inflammation and to facilitate healing early in the recovery period after a chemical injury. These medications should be used judiciously under the guidance of an ophthalmologist, because they can cause long-term complications, such as infections and glaucoma.
    
    
  • Other medications used to support corneal repair include topical citrate and ascorbate drops, oral antibiotics (for example, tetracycline, doxycycline), and oral vitamin C.
    
    
  • If your eye pressure is too high, glaucoma medications may be used temporarily to control the pressure.
    
    
  • Pain medications by mouth may be necessary, and dilating eyedrops are often also used to control pain and to aid recovery.
    
    
• If your eye has been seriously damaged, you may need a surgery to control glaucoma, remove a cataract, or other procedures to restore a healthy ocular surface and eyelids.