A corneal detachment is an alteration of one or more layers of the cornea through which the cornea detaches from the eye. As a rule, this happens only partially, i.e. there is a partial corneal detachment. There are many causes, but most of them are mechanical triggers, such as burns, contusions or the penetration of a foreign body into the eye. Since the cornea is a very well innervated part of the eye, such an injury is always accompanied by severe pain. Depending on the cause, corneal detachment can usually be treated very well.
Causes
The causes of corneal detachment are very diverse. Depending on the cause, the degree of corneal detachment varies. A trauma, i.e. an accident, to the eye can cause tears in the cornea, which in turn can cause part of the cornea to detach.
These are usually bruises that cause tears in the so-called Descemetian membrane, a lower layer of the cornea. This can cause a foreign body, such as a metal splinter, to enter the eye. The damage to the cornea results in tears.
It is important that the foreign body is removed early on to prevent ingrowth. Corneal acid burns can also lead to the detachment of individual layers of the cornea and must be treated as quickly as possible with a rinse to prevent further damage. Depending on the severity of the burn, the upper layer of the cornea is destroyed and detached. This layer is scabbed.
Corneal detachment through contact lenses
Occasionally, the use of contact lenses can cause damage to the cornea with tears and partial corneal detachment. In most cases, however, this is not due to the contact lenses themselves, but to incorrect use. When inserting and removing contact lenses with too long or sharp fingernails, this can lead to tears in the cornea. Furthermore, wearing contact lenses for too long can lead to damage to the cornea with corneal detachment. Therefore, you should always pay close attention to the time the contact lenses are allowed to stay in the eye.
