Resist rubbing the eye and first wash hands thoroughly before examining the eye or the skin around it.
First aid measures for foreign body in the eye: considerations
An injury to the eyelid may be a sign of severe injury to the eye itself and while a foreign body may threaten the person’s vision, if the object enters the eye, it can also lead to corneal damage or mar the lens. Usually, foreign bodies propelled at high speed by machining, grinding or hammering metal on metal present the highest risk but equally at risk are everyday exposure to dust and foreign matter that is emitted from nature. If the foreign body is small in size, like an eyelash or sand particle, the eye usually clears itself of these when one blinks or cries. However, if does not happen, the following is useful:
- To minimize risk of any possibility of spreading of infectious disease, have the injured person apply direct pressure to the wound whenever possible. This is a necessary precaution in the face of fatal diseases that are highly infectious in nature, be it AIDS or hepatitis, which are transmitted by the exchange of bodily fluids.
- Shift the person who is suffering from a foreign body in the eye to a well-lit place and then proceed to carefully examine the object, if visible. This is easier if the person is asked to look up and down, then from side to side.
- If it is speck of dirt, eyelash, fine fiber or thread, it may cause a slight itching around the surface of the eye but this usually goes away in a day or so. Even after the foreign body is dispelled, many persons may feel it is still lodged in the eye as a minor scratching sensation lingers, which is normal.
- The first aid giver can pull the affected person’s upper eyelid over the lower eyelid and repeat this procedure a few times to help dislodge the foreign body in the eye. A gentle flushing with clean water or artificial teardrops is also helpful in washing it away.
- If neither technique is helpful and the foreign body is visible and floating freely on the white of the eye/corner of the eye/on the inside of the lower lid, one can carefully try to remove it by wetting the tip of a cotton bud with water and gently touching it with the tip.
- The foreign body should cling to the moistened tip and then the eye can be flushed with clean water for easing any irritation.
- Health experts warn first aid helpers to resist trying to remove an object that is embedded or appears in front of the colored part of the eye.
- If the foreign body in the eye does not get dispelled after trying all these methods, it is prudent to cover the eye with a clean pad and see a doctor at the first instance.