A scratched cornea can be caused by some things you might not expect, like improperly fitted or maintained contact lenses, rubbing your eyes vigorously, a bacterial infection, or when undergoing surgery under general anesthesia, in addition to the more obvious causes such having your eye poked or some foreign object or matter getting stuck in your eye. As other conditions can cause symptoms similar to an abrasion, but would be treated differently, go to an opthalmologist or to the emergency room right away. You want confirmation you are dealing with a scratched cornea. Your doctor can also give you guidance on how to treat your condition safely. If you notice any of the following symptoms, see a doctor:  Pain A feeling of grittiness in the eye Headaches Dizziness  or lightheadedness Blurry vision, especially after an injury to the eye  Sensitivity to light Not all commercial eye drops are safe for treating a scratched cornea. In fact, using over the counter eyedrops may make the condition worse. Eyedrops recommended by your doctor may contain antibiotics or steroids which can help prevent infection, alleviate the pain, and reduce inflammation or potential scarring. If you're in a lot of pain, talk to your doctor about eyedrops during the appointment instead of attempting to select eyedrops on your own.  Eyedrops help with pain by keeping the eye lubricated. They can also prevent an infection, which can be a complication of a scratched cornea. Use only eyedrops your doctor recommends and closely follow the doctor's instructions when using them. Eyedrops may not require a prescription even if they're recommended by your doctor. However, never use over-the-counter eyedrops unless your doctor advised you to do so when you have a scratched cornea. Oral antibiotics are not commonly prescribed for a scratched cornea, but if your doctor does prescribe one, take it exactly as directed. Take all your antibiotics, even after your cornea feels better.  Talk to your doctor about any existing medications before taking antibiotics. You want to make sure antibiotics do not interfere with any existing medications you are taking. While your doctor may use topical painkillers in the exam room, these should never be used at home. They can be very dangerous when not applied by a medical doctor. Oral pain medication may be prescribed if pain or light sensitivity is severe. People who continuously have pain after a corneal abrasion or have permanent and major damage may need surgery. If you need surgery, the doctor will go over the procedure and recovery with you. Larger or more severe abrasions will take longer.  Deep scratches can cause infections, scars, and other complications.  Call your doctor with any unusual symptoms or if you have any concerns.

Summary: Seek medical help. Try an eye drop recommended by your doctor. Get a prescription for antibiotics to fight infection. Get surgery for severe damage. Small corneal abrasions typically heal in 1-3 days.


Even the residue from regular soaps and detergents can damage down feathers. Before using the machine to wash your jacket, wipe the dispenser with a cloth to remove leftover detergent.  When the dispenser is clean, add the amount of down-safe soap as recommended by your soap manufacturer or washing machine. To clean your down jacket, use the same down-safe soap that you used for spot cleaning. When down feathers are stripped of their oil, they can lose their loft, or fullness, which is related to their ability to insulate. Wash the jacket alone, to prevent the material from catching or pilling. Before pressing start, set the machine to cold wash, delicate, hand wash, or wools, and a small load size. Only use a front-loading washing machine or a high-efficiency top-loader that doesn’t have the center agitator. The agitator can rip the material and destroy the jacket. When the washing machine has finished its washing cycle, run it through a second rinse cycle to fully remove any remaining detergent.

Summary: Clean out the detergent compartment before adding soap. Place the jacket in the washer and set the cycle. Run a second rinse cycle.


Card counters are notorious for playing blackjack for hours and hours, often without eating or enjoying the amenities available at the resort. Acting like a tourist just looking for a simple good time may take the suspicion off of you. You want to blend in. Busting out your three-piece Armani suit is not what you want to do when starting your card counting career at your local casino. Leave the Italian suede at home and act like a regular Joe. Dealers are trained to shuffle the deck upon an unexplainable increase in the bet. For this reason, only up your bet in small increments and at seemingly random points in the game. This may seem counter to making money, but if you get thrown out, you'll be making zero. No, card counting isn't illegal, but it is heavily frowned upon and you can be asked to never return. This is why we had you practicing with the TV, radio, and several messy, loud-mouthed children. If you are so busy counting your lips are practically moving, it's a dead giveaway. Go ahead, get a drink, make small talk. Enjoy yourself.  Counters have a reputation for being "zoned in" to the game.  He will remain fixated on their cards while everyone else is looking at a gorgeous woman. Don't be that guy. You need to be proficient enough at counting that you can carry on a conversation.  Chat with the dealer about how their day is going.  If the pit boss comes up, chat with him, too. Many dealers know how to count cards.  A dealer that likes you will be more likely to wait before shuffling on a favorable deck and shuffle sooner on a bad one. A dealer can help you or hurt you.  Motivate the dealer to be for you. Same goes for the entire pit crew -- get them on your side, your not-so-heinous crime may slide under their radar. At any time, there are hundreds of cameras going on in the casino in addition to the eyes of the dealers, those in the pit (behind the tables), and the security staff. If they'll catch a waitress for serving a customer every 18.37 minutes, they'll definitely have the attention span to monitor you. Because of this, it's very important to be on your best behavior. If a casino suspects you're counting, they probably won't come right out and say it. They may have someone start a conversation with you to distract you, assign you a high-speed dealer, shuffle spontaneously or change the betting rules. If any of these happen, back down slowly, but immediately. When you hit a table, stay there for a spell. Why would you leave? And when you make your moves at this table, take a second to think about it. Normal blackjack players haven't spent the past three months staring at this exact set up in black and white. Everything you do needs to be nonchalant and casual. Do not jump from table to table every time the deck sours.  This will bring you to the attention of the casino personnel fast.  Make minimum bets until the deck is richer. Increase casually because you're doing well -- not because you know what's about to come.
Summary: Act like a tourist. Let your bet ride, if you need to increase the bet. Appear to be interested in other things besides the game. Tip the dealer. Know who's watching you. Do everything slow.