EYE, FOREIGN BODY IN

 Basic information

description

A foreign body in the eye can include a small speck of metal, wood, stone, sand, paint, an eyelash, or other material.

FREQUENT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Pain, irritation, watering, and redness in the eye.
• Eye is sensitive to light.
• Foreign body (object) that can be seen when the eye is examined. Sometimes the object is very small, trapped under the eyelid, and cannot be seen except with a medical exam.
• Scratchy feeling when blinking.
• Blurred vision or loss of vision in the affected eye.

causes

Accident.

risk increases with

• Windy weather.
• Jobs or activity, such as carpentry or grinding, in which fine pieces of wood or other materials fly loose in the air.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Wear protective eye coverings if your job or hobby involves the risk of eye injury.

expected outcomes

Most objects can be removed simply with self-care, in a health care provider's office, or in an emergency room.

possible complications

• Infection, especially if the object is not removed completely.
• Permanent vision damage.

 diagnosis & treatment

general measures

• For small foreign bodies, be sure not to rub the eye. Try to flush the eye with water (or saline solution) using one of these options:
  • Gently pour warm (not hot) water from a small pitcher over the eye. Keep eye open.
  • Stand at a sink with warm water running and cup your hands and put your face in the running water.
  • Use an eye dropper with warm water.
  • If outside, use a garden hose, but don't use high pressure. A water fountain may also be used to flush out the eye.
  • Check the eye often to see if the object is gone.
  • If flushing is not working, you may consider trying to remove the object with the tip of a tissue or cotton-tipped swab. Lift upper or lower eyelid (someone else may need to help you). Be extremely careful to not touch the eye itself with the swab. You could injure the cornea.
• If you removed the object, but it was large, or the patient is a child, a health care provider should be seen for follow-up check.
• Use moist compresses to relieve discomfort after removal of particle. Prepare by folding a clean cloth in several layers. Dip in warm water, wring out slightly, and apply to the eye. Dip the compress often to keep it moist. Do this for 1 hour, rest 1 hour, and then repeat.
• Most eye injuries should be seen by your health care provider. Ask someone else to drive you to the medical office or emergency center. Don't try to drive yourself. Keep the eye closed, if possible, until the exam.
• Your health care provider will do an exam of the injured eye. It may include staining the eye with a harmless substance to outline the object, examining the eye through a magnifying lens, and/or use of a special ultraviolet light. This helps rule out any abrasion or scrape on the surface of the eye.
• The procedure to remove the object will be determined by its size and location within the eye.
• An eye patch may be applied to keep the eye closed.
• A follow-up exam should be done in 1 to 2 days.

medications

• Antibiotic eyedrops may be prescribed to prevent infection.
• Pain relievers may be prescribed.

activity

Resume your normal activities gradually after removal of the foreign body and the patch, if one is applied.

diet

No special diet.

 notify our office if

• You or a family member has a foreign body in the eye that you are concerned about. If it is an emergency, call 911 to get emergency help right away.
• The following occur after removal:
  • Pain increases or does not disappear in 2 days.
  • Fever develops.
  • Vision changes.

Special Notes: