How to remove a foreign body in the eye socket?

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Thai Hung - Ophthalmologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital

In all daily activities or in the process of moving, foreign objects in the eyes are a common problem for everyone. But not everyone knows how to safely remove a foreign body from the eye socket, avoiding affecting the eye.

A foreign body in the eye is when a foreign object penetrates the inside of the eyelid causing discomfort and pain to the eye. It can be dust particles or small pieces of metal, nails or even sharp objects that are accidentally shot in the eye.
Foreign bodies attached to the front of the eye can't go inside the eyeball, but they can completely scratch and damage the corneal layer of people. Usually, cases with small foreign bodies in the eye will not be too dangerous, but if not removed properly, complications will be unpredictable. These foreign bodies not only cause pain and infection in the eyes, but also damage vision, blur the eyes and even cause blindness if they leave damage or scars in the cornea.

Depending on the case of the foreign body in the eye, there are different treatment methods. If a small foreign object such as dust, hair, eyelashes, ... gets into the eye, you can treat it yourself at home with some simple tips such as:
Continuous blinking: this is an effective folk trick in Many cases have foreign bodies in the eye socket. This method is very easy to do when just opening and closing your eyes quickly and continuously will cause tears to flow. At that time, the small foreign bodies will follow the tears out. Pulling the upper eyelid over the lower eyelid: In case the foreign body is stuck under the eyelid, you can try closing your eyes, gently pull the skin of the upper eyelid and then cover the lower eyelid. Then gently roll the eyeball that is caught in the foreign body. This can help loosen the foreign body and give it a better chance of falling out. Using water: You can use an eyewash cup to gently swirl the iris in water to wash away the foreign body or put the eye under a gentle stream of water to wash away the foreign object. Use eye drops: These days there are many eye drops available in all pharmacies. These solutions can all help remove the eye socket, but depending on the type of drug, the use will be different. There are types that will be used directly by applying to the eyes. There are also types that need to be poured into an eyewash cup, becoming the environment for the eyes to be cleaned. Use a cotton swab: This way you need to stand in front of the mirror or ask someone else to do it for the safest. First, gently pull the eyelid up and slowly roll the iris to determine the exact position of the foreign body. Then use a cotton ball or clean towel to gently touch the foreign body in the eye socket. In case the foreign body in the eye socket is a sharp, large object, stuck to the cornea or the eye is sensitive, causing irritation, it is necessary to seek medical attention immediately. When the eye is in severe pain, bleeding may even be blurred or has fluid, it is time for you to seek medical intervention. They will have professional tools with guaranteed hygiene to help remove foreign objects in the eye . In more severe cases, minor surgery may be required to completely remove the foreign body.

Whether it is how to remove an eye socket at home or to a medical facility, there are mandatory principles to be followed to protect the safety of your eyes.
Absolutely do not rub your eyes: Rubbing your eyes is a natural reflex that will appear as soon as something flies into each person's eyes. In fact, this is a very dangerous action that can directly affect the cornea. The more you rub your eyes, the more likely the foreign body will get into the eye deeper, and can even cause them to puncture the eye and scratch the cornea. The most severe condition will happen will be eye damage, vision loss even leading to blindness. Ensure hygiene: Regardless of the method, the first step you need to do is to clean your hands. Tools such as cotton swabs or towels need to be made sure that they are new and disinfected or they are easy to get eye infections. Ensure water quality: When using water to wash eyes, it is necessary to choose the cleanest and safest water such as filtered water, tap water. Never use poor quality water. When washing eyes directly with the faucet, it is necessary to adjust the lightest water level to slowly flow into the eyes, not using too strong a stream of water. Avoid using sharp objects such as tweezers or other metal objects to remove foreign objects in the eye. This is a note to ensure eye safety because sharp objects can easily injure the human's thin cornea. If you are using contact lenses and have a foreign body in your eye, you should remove the lens before trying to remove the foreign body to avoid infection. In the process of moving to medical facilities to remove foreign bodies in the eye socket, it is necessary to cover the eye with the foreign object with a gauze bandage to prevent dirt or bacteria from entering the eye. If eyes are exposed to chemicals, immediately wash eyes continuously for 10 to 15 minutes and then immediately go to a medical facility for emergency care. With a team of leading experts and modern equipment, Vinmec International General Hospital is always the place of trust of customers in examining eye diseases. Therefore, when having any problems, customers can go to the hospital for examination and appropriate instructions from a specialist doctor.