A stray eyelash, speck of sand or tiny piece of dirt that gets in your eye usually causes only temporary discomfort. According to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, most of the time, the natural process of tearing and blinking clears a foreign object from your eye. However, if it doesn't, you can attempt to safely remove it on your own or get someone to help you.
Step 1
Wash and dry your hands. If you ask someone else to help you, make sure her hands are clean as well, advises MayoClinic.com.
Step 2
Move to a well-lit area, advises the National Institutes of Health. If someone else is helping you remove a foreign object from your eye, ask them to look at your eye from above and below and from one side to the other. If the object can't be found, carefully lift your lower and upper eyelid for more a thorough examination, advises MayoClinic.com.
Step 3
Flush out the object with lukewarm water or saline. MayoClinic.com indicates that you can use a small glass or eyecup. Alternately, you can also try using an eyedropper, says the NIH. If this doesn't work, use the tip of a cotton swab to remove objects that are stuck to the eyelid. However, if the stray matter is on the eye itself, use only flushing to remove it.
Step 4
See a doctor if you still experience discomfort and pain in the affected eye after one to two days. Initially, your eye may feel "scratchy" and uncomfortable, even after the object is removed, says the NIH.
Tips and Warnings
- If you have an object embedded in your eye, bandage both eyes to prevent eye movement, says the NIH. If the object is large, use a paper cup or cone and secure it with tape and cover the unaffected eye with gauze. Get medical attention immediately.
- If you get something in your eye, your first instinct may be to rub it. However, rubbing your eyes can cause corneal abrasion or worse injury to your eye. Do not attempt to remove objects that are embedded in your eyeball or objects that make closing your eye difficult, cautions MayoClinic.Com. Call 911 or your local emergency room instead. If you're exposed to small metal fragments that hit your eye at high velocity, such as during hammering or grinding, don't attempt to remove the object from your eye on your own, cautions the NIH. Get medical help immediately.
Things You'll Need
- Cotton swab
- Saline (optional)
- Small glass or eyecup
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