Home Care for a Foreign Object in the Eye

If you suspect you have a foreign object in your eye, it is important to initiate treatment promptly to avoid infection and the possibility of damaged vision. Take these precautions:

• Do not rub or put pressure on the eye.
• Do not use any utensils or implements, such as tweezers or cotton swabs, on the surface of the eye.
• Do not remove contact lenses unless there is sudden swelling or you have suffered a chemical injury.

If you suspect you have a foreign object in your eye or are attempting to help someone who has one, take the following preliminary steps before initiating any home care:

• Wash your hands.
• Look at the affected eye in an area with bright light.
• To examine the eye and find the object, look up while pulling the lower lid down. Follow this by looking down while flipping up the inside of the upper lid.

The safest technique for removing a foreign object from your eye will differ according to the type of object you are trying to remove and where it is located in the eye.
The most common location for a foreign object is under the upper eyelid. To remove a foreign object in this position:

• Immerse the side of your face with the affected eye in a flat container of water. While the eye is under water, open and close the eye several times to flush out the object.
• The same results can be accomplished using an eyecup purchased from a drugstore.
• If the object is stuck, pull out the upper lid and stretch it over the lower lid to loosen the object.

To treat a foreign object located beneath the lower eyelid:

• Pull out the lower eyelid or press down on the skin below the eyelid to see underneath it.
• If the object is visible, try tapping it with a damp cotton swab.
• For a persistent object, try to flush it out by flowing water on the eyelid as you hold it open.
• You also can try using an eyecup to flush out the object.

If there are many tiny fragments from a substance, such as grains of sand in the eye, you will have to flush out the particles instead of removing each one individually. To do this:

• Use a wet cloth to remove any particles from the area surrounding the eye.
• Immerse the side of your face with the affected eye in a flat container of water. While the eye is under water, open and close the eye several times to flush out the particles.
• For younger children, pour a glass of warm water into the eye instead of immersing it. Hold the child face up. Keep the eyelid open while you pour water into the eye to flush out the particles. This technique works best if one person pours the water while another holds the child’s eyelids open.

Read the original article on healthline.com

It’s important to stay up to date on eye health information, especially because some eye conditions and eye diseases. Getting an annual eye exam can easily be forgotten, especially with work, family and other obligations.  Make sure you set a reminder in your smartphone or pencil it in to your calendar to get a regular eye exam every year.

Drop in at 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore for all your eye care needs.