A foreign body in the eye can be anything that can inadvertently “fall” into the eye – a particle of dust, eyelashes, insects, pieces of glass, wood or metal, but a foreign body also occurs due to inadequate use of contact lenses.

A foreign body in the eye causes pain, a scratching sensation, tearing, sensitivity to light, red (bloody) eyes, inability to open the eye, excessive blinking, sometimes bloodshot eyes and reduced visual acuity.

Injuries caused by a foreign body in the eye

A foreign body in the eye can cause minor or serious injuries. In the mildest cases, it can cause erosion or a scratch on the cornea, and in more severe cases, it can cause injuries to the internal parts of the eye.

Most often, in these cases, there is a leakage of liquid – aqueous humor or blood from the eye, sudden loss of vision, development of infection of the internal structures of the eye, which can lead to severe or complete and permanent loss of vision.

A foreign body in the eye can only be removed by an ophthalmologist

Removing a foreign body from the eye

In the case of a foreign body in the eye, it is necessary to immediately seek the help of an ophthalmologist. Never remove the foreign body yourself, as you can cause serious eye injuries.

The ophthalmologist will anesthetize your eye and adequately remove the foreign body from the eye. Then, through a detailed examination, they will determine whether there is damage to the cornea or deeper structures of the eye. In case of bleeding in the eye, the ophthalmologist will perform an ultrasound of the eye.

For mild eye injuries, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic drops and place a sterile bandage or a soft therapeutic lens on your eye.

Surface damage usually resolves spontaneously after 24-48 hours. Smaller injuries can be closed with sutures, while in the case of more serious, penetrating injuries, most often the cornea, a corneal transplant is also performed. If there has been an injury to the lens that causes a cataract or an injury to the retina that can cause detachment (ablation) of the retina, a surgical procedure to remove the traumatic cataract, also called vitrectomy, is recommended.

Prevention of foreign body in the eye

As foreign body injuries most often occur when performing tasks such as welding, grinding, cutting, mowing, working with sharp tools, etc. it is mandatory to wear protective equipment when working (masks, glasses).