Something in your eyes

It is not unusual for a small object such as an eyelash, makeup, or a speck of dirt to get into your eye. Natural tears are produced when the eye is irritated to wash the object out. Sometimes tears are not enough and the object can scratch or become stuck on the surface of the eye. It is hard to tell if you have removed the object or if you have scratched the surface of the eye, because the eye may still feel painful as though something is still in it.

After you get something in your eye, protect your eye by following a few simple steps. Do not rub your eye. Rubbing the involved eye can cause more damage to the tissue. Irritation causes blinking, and blinking causes tearing. If natural tears have not flushed the particle out and the particle is not embedded into the eye, you can gently flush the eye with cool water. Always wash your hands before touching your eyes.

Many times the object will be under the upper eyelid. Try removing it by lifting the upper lid away and flushing gently. Remove floating particles with a wet cotton swab or the corner of a clean cloth while holding the upper or lower lid open.

If the particle is not embedded, try pulling the upper lid over the lower lid and rolling the eye. Never try to remove anything that is lodged or has penetrated the eye. Cover the eye with either a loose dressing or a pair of dark eyeglasses (do not put any pressure on the eye) and have someone take you to an eye doctor, emergency department, or urgent care center right away.

Chemical burns to the eyes are a medical emergency. Chemicals in the eyes can cause severe pain. Start first aid measures quickly to minimize the risk of permanent injury or loss of sight. Emergency treatment for chemical burns in the eyes includes:

• rinse the eyes immediately with gently flowing water for at least 20 minutes (Rinse right over contact lenses, do not remove them. Hold the victim's head under the faucet or pour cool to lukewarm water into the eye.)
• after a few minutes, begin to rinse the unaffected eye, because the rinsing process could wash some of the chemical into the unaffected eye
• consider standing in a shower while rinsing the eyes, especially with children (Do not take time to remove any clothes.)
• be firm with children and rinse for at least 20 minutes before doing anything else (It can be very difficult to rinse the eyes of a small child, because the child will struggle violently.)
• after 20 minutes of rinsing, call the Poison Control Center for advice (Know the name of the chemical so you can report exactly what was splashed into the eye. An eye exam by an emergency physician or ophthalmologist will often be recommended.)

Vision can be threatened by foreign bodies, trauma, infection, or exposure to chemicals or particulate matter, such as dense smoke. Guard your sight. Protect your eyes with safety glasses. If injured, seek prompt and proper care.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIL File EYES4516.rf2 VRS# 4516 Data Version 7.0 Copyright 1998, 2003 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.