Most people know right away when something scrapes their eye. If the eye hurts afterward, it could be a corneal abrasion. Even a small injury to the cornea can be very painful.
You can give yourself a corneal abrasion without realizing it. This can happen when you try to take out a contact lens, but the lens is not actually on the eye. Rubbing a finger directly on the cornea can cause a small scrape.
It is important to have an injury to the cornea examined by your doctor if: