Recurrent Corneal Erosion:
Information for adults

The treatment for recurrent corneal erosion is very similar to that for corneal abrasion. Patching is often very helpful, usually after the instillation of an antibiotic ointment. The doctor may teach you how to open your eye carefully and remind you never to rub the eye. If there is an underlying corneal disease requiring treatment, that too will be addressed. Often, you will be given a salt-like drop for day use and salt-like ointment for nighttime use. The salt pulls fluid out of the corneal epithelium, allowing it to lay down tighter to the underlying basement membrane and, hence, heal better. Map-dot fingerprint dystrophy, which most patients don't know they have, usually resolves over several years on its own without treatment. Some patients may also be taught how to apply a tight patch that restricts eye movement at night and upon waking so there is less likelihood of recurrence. If these rather simple procedures are not successful, the eye care professional may re-scrape the area to create a more irregular abrasion followed by 1–3 days of patching in hopes of getting the tissues to heal better. Finally, if all this fails to work, the eye care professional may recommend laser treatment to the involved site, called phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK).