beolit

Category:

Tags:

Summary:

The eyes are among the most delicate and sensitive parts of our body. When something gets in your eye—whether it’s an eyelash, a fiber from your sweater, or even the tiniest speck of dirt—it can feel incredibly uncomfortable, causing tears to flow uncontrollably. In most cases, tears will naturally flush the object out. However, if the foreign body remains, here are several methods you can try to safely remove it.

Initial Steps to Take

Before you start, keep these essential tips in mind:

1. Don’t Rub Your Eye: Rubbing your eye can cause a scratch on the surface of your eye, called a corneal abrasion.
2. Avoid Using Cotton Swabs or Sharp Objects: Do not use cotton swabs or tweezers to touch your eyeball, as this can cause injury.
3. Wash Your Hands: Always wash your hands before trying to remove something from your eye to prevent infection.
4. Remove Contact Lenses: If you wear contact lenses, remove them to avoid potential scratching or tearing. The foreign body sensation may actually be due to a torn lens, so don’t try to remove a lens that isn’t there, as this may worsen any existing scratch.

How to Inspect Your Eye

Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where something is stuck in your eye. Make sure you have good lighting to inspect your eye carefully. Follow these steps to check:

1. Open Your Eye Wide: Try to open your eye as wide as possible, and you may be able to see the object on your eyeball.
2. Pull Down Your Lower Lid: Gently pull down your lower eyelid and look up into the mirror.
3. Lift Your Upper Lid: Lift your upper eyelid and look down into the mirror.

How to Remove Debris from Your Eye

If you have a small speck like dirt, sand, makeup, or a fiber in your eye, there are several methods you can try:

1. Foreign Body in Upper Eyelid: If the speck is stuck in your upper eyelid, try pulling your upper eyelid down over the lower eyelid and letting go. As your upper eyelid slides back, the speck may come out.
2. Foreign Body in Lower Eyelid: If the speck is in the lower eyelid, pull the eyelid down and gently press on the skin underneath to reveal the pink part of the inside of the eyelid. If you can see the speck, you can try to remove it with a damp cotton ball, being careful not to touch your eyeball. Alternatively, you can gently rinse the inside of your eyelid with water.
3. Pus or Mucus: If you have pus or mucus in your eye, start by placing a warm, damp washcloth over your closed eyelid for a few minutes to loosen any crust. Then, using a damp cotton ball or corner of the washcloth, gently wipe your closed eye from the inner corner to the outer corner. Repeat until the eye is clean.

When to Flush Your Eye

Sometimes, it’s necessary to flush your eye with clean water or saline solution. You should try flushing your eye if:

1. The speck won’t come out.
2. There’s more than one speck.
3. Chemicals have entered your eye (chemical exposure in the eye).

Fill a container or eye cup with clean water or saline, dunk your eye in it, and blink several times. If needed, you may need a friend to hold your eyelid open while they pour water or saline into your eye. Once the object is removed, you should feel relief within an hour or two.

Chemical Exposure

Many household chemicals can harm your eyes, including bleach, drain cleaners, dishwasher detergent, glass cleaner, fertilizers, and lime-based products such as plaster and cement. If chemicals get in your eye, follow these steps:

1. Flush Immediately: Rinse your eye with cool water or saline solution for at least 15 minutes. You can do this in the sink or shower.
2. Seek Medical Advice: After rinsing, contact your local poison control center or the national hotline at 800-222-1222 to get guidance on the next steps. If you are unsure, it’s better to call the hotline.
3. Emergency Care: If the poison control center advises, go to the emergency room and bring the chemical container to help doctors identify the substance.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Your eyes are very sensitive. Seek medical help immediately if:

1. You get harsh chemicals in your eye.
2. Something has pierced your eye.
3. An object is stuck in your eye after it has penetrated the eyeball. Do not try to remove it yourself.
4. You can’t remove dirt or sand from your eye.
5. Even after removing the object, you still feel like something is in your eye.
6. Your eye starts to bleed.
7. You can’t close your eye.
8. Your vision changes.
9. Your eye doesn’t improve or starts to worsen, even after the foreign body has been removed.

When you seek medical help, your doctor will likely use various eye drops to check your eye. These may include numbing medication, dye to reveal any scratches on the eyeball, or medication to dilate your pupils. Doctors may flush the eye, or use needles or other instruments to remove the object. If an object has pierced your eyeball and is stuck, they might perform an X-ray or ultrasound to locate it. You may be given an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. If there is a scratch on your eye after removing the object, you may need to wear an eye patch to help the eye heal.