A foreign body in your eye could spell danger
Oct 28, 2007
SARAH was seated by herself when a foreign body fell into her eye. <br>She could not remove the foreign body using her handkerchief because it was dirty and worse still, her fingers were also dirty.
By Jacobs Odongo
SARAH was seated by herself when a foreign body fell into her eye.
She could not remove the foreign body using her handkerchief because it was dirty and worse still, her fingers were also dirty.
Sarah held the eyelids wide open as she massaged the other eye by making the eyeball roll. Many people say it is the easiest way to remove a minor foreign body from the eye.
But according to Dr. Suresh, an optometrist at City Optics and Contact Lens Centre in Kampala, the foreign body does not come out by rubbing the other eye. You should avoid rubbing the eye in which a foreign body has fallen.
“Massaging the eye causes the eyeball to rotate, but the foreign body may instead move to a less sensitive area. Tears help to wash out foreign bodies; they form automatically,†Suresh adds.
How to deal with foreign bodies in the eye
A doctor can do a vision test. Using a slit lump microscope, he examines the eye surface.
When a superficial foreign body is suspected to have fallen in the eye, the upper lid should be gently lifted to check for trapped particles.
Signs and symptoms
Irritation
Scratching
Burning sensation
Soreness
Intense pain
Redness
Tearing
Sensitivity to light
Obstracted vision
Difficulty opening the eye
If you feel like there is a foreign body in your eye, blink a few times, it may come out. Sometimes small particles of dust or eyelashes in the eye feel bigger than they are because the eye is a sensitive organ.
Treatment
Sometimes a foreign body can be embedded in the eye tissue. If blinking does not free the object, seek help from an eye specialist.
If a foreign object becomes embedded within the cornea, conjunctiva or sclera, only a doctor must remove it. Attempting to remove it yourself could result into a permanent scar that could also affect your vision.
An eye specialist usually numbs the eye with a topical anaesthetic. Using a microscope to magnify and special instruments for the eyes, he or she will remove it.
Many times, antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection. In some cases, foreign bodies become trapped underneath the eyelid. It is, therefore, important to check under the eyelid in case a foreign body falls into your eye.
Major foreign bodies must be removed in the operating room. Such injuries are often threatening to the vision and should be treated quickly.
Examining the eye:
After washing your hands, look into a mirror and gently pull down the lower eyelid to examine the eye. Do the same for the upper eyelid. If possible, find someone to examine the eye, as it is difficult to do this by yourself.
Fill a cup with clean water and rinse the eye. A water fountain washes the eye and dislodges the foreign body.
Close the eye gently as over blinking may cause irritation and discomfort.
If you must see a doctor, tell him or her what you were doing at the time of the accident, or what materials you were in contact with.
Although you may be tempted, to rub the eye, do not as this may cause the foreign body to move deeper into the eye tissue.
Also, do not use a hard object to remove a foreign body from the eye.
Some objects are sharp and can damage the eye for instance they can scratch the cornea.
Did you know?
Eye injury is the leading cause of monocular blindness (blindness in one eye) and is second to a cataract, the most common cause of visual impairment in the world.
SARAH was seated by herself when a foreign body fell into her eye.
She could not remove the foreign body using her handkerchief because it was dirty and worse still, her fingers were also dirty.
Sarah held the eyelids wide open as she massaged the other eye by making the eyeball roll. Many people say it is the easiest way to remove a minor foreign body from the eye.
But according to Dr. Suresh, an optometrist at City Optics and Contact Lens Centre in Kampala, the foreign body does not come out by rubbing the other eye. You should avoid rubbing the eye in which a foreign body has fallen.
“Massaging the eye causes the eyeball to rotate, but the foreign body may instead move to a less sensitive area. Tears help to wash out foreign bodies; they form automatically,†Suresh adds.
How to deal with foreign bodies in the eye
A doctor can do a vision test. Using a slit lump microscope, he examines the eye surface.
When a superficial foreign body is suspected to have fallen in the eye, the upper lid should be gently lifted to check for trapped particles.
Signs and symptoms
Irritation
Scratching
Burning sensation
Soreness
Intense pain
Redness
Tearing
Sensitivity to light
Obstracted vision
Difficulty opening the eye
If you feel like there is a foreign body in your eye, blink a few times, it may come out. Sometimes small particles of dust or eyelashes in the eye feel bigger than they are because the eye is a sensitive organ.
Treatment
Sometimes a foreign body can be embedded in the eye tissue. If blinking does not free the object, seek help from an eye specialist.
If a foreign object becomes embedded within the cornea, conjunctiva or sclera, only a doctor must remove it. Attempting to remove it yourself could result into a permanent scar that could also affect your vision.
An eye specialist usually numbs the eye with a topical anaesthetic. Using a microscope to magnify and special instruments for the eyes, he or she will remove it.
Many times, antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection. In some cases, foreign bodies become trapped underneath the eyelid. It is, therefore, important to check under the eyelid in case a foreign body falls into your eye.
Major foreign bodies must be removed in the operating room. Such injuries are often threatening to the vision and should be treated quickly.
Examining the eye:
After washing your hands, look into a mirror and gently pull down the lower eyelid to examine the eye. Do the same for the upper eyelid. If possible, find someone to examine the eye, as it is difficult to do this by yourself.
Fill a cup with clean water and rinse the eye. A water fountain washes the eye and dislodges the foreign body.
Close the eye gently as over blinking may cause irritation and discomfort.
If you must see a doctor, tell him or her what you were doing at the time of the accident, or what materials you were in contact with.
Although you may be tempted, to rub the eye, do not as this may cause the foreign body to move deeper into the eye tissue.
Also, do not use a hard object to remove a foreign body from the eye.
Some objects are sharp and can damage the eye for instance they can scratch the cornea.
Did you know?
Eye injury is the leading cause of monocular blindness (blindness in one eye) and is second to a cataract, the most common cause of visual impairment in the world.