September/October 2008 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 21 Number 5

Corneal Abrasion

Unlike an impaled object in the eye, as discussed in You’re in Good Hands, a corneal abrasion is a common expedition problem because the mechanism of injury is quite simple.

For example, you are walking along a trail enjoying a hike with some friends. The person in front of you encounters a branch across the trail. They bend the branch back out of their way and then release it as they pass by. The now spring-loaded-branch snaps back into place, and in the process, whacks you in the face. Every outdoor enthusiast, at some point during their hiking adventures, has either been whacked in the face by a branch, or was responsible for whacking someone else.

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