Foreign bodies

Most of us experience a foreign body in the eye at some time. Often it is a speck of dust and with much watering the eye gets rid of it itself. Sometimes an eyelash can be the culprit, and if this is obvious it can be wiped off by using very clean cotton wool.

If you feel that a lash may be trapped under the upper lid, you could try to pull it down over the lower one and this may wipe it out.

If there is pain and watering, filling a bowl with cool water and opening the eye under the water may wash it out.

Any suggestion of metal in the eye, for example, after using a hammer and nails, requires immediate medical attention. The concern about foreign bodies is that they may cause permanent damage or scarring to the clear cornea covering the eye.

Unless the foreign body is easy to remove, or very obvious, it is important to seek medical advice sooner rather than later. Pain, redness and constant watering are warning signs.