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Foreign Object In The Eye: First Aid
By Matt Unangst, 25 Feb 18:20
We’ve all gotten small foreign object like sand in our eyes. They can be really annoying, but are not usually harmful. To wash a foreign object out of your eye, flush it with clean water or saline solution. Rest the rim or an eyecup or small glass on the bone at the base of your eye socket to do the flushing.
If you need to help someone else to remove a foreign object from his/her eye, first wash your hands. Seat the person in a well-lit area so that you can see the eye clearly. Examine the eye for the object, being careful not to hurt him/her. Pull the lower eyelid down and have the person look up. Then hold the upper lid and have the person look down. If you see the object floating on the surface of the eye, attempt to flush it out with clean water or saline solution.
Be careful not to rub the eye that has the foreign object in it, as this can scratch the surface of the eye. Do not try to remove anything that has become embedded in the eyeball. Also, do not try to remove an object so large that it makes closing the eye difficult.
Call 911 for emergency medical help if you cannot remove the object from the eye or object is embedded in the eyeball. You should also call 911 if you experience abnormal vision or continue to have pain, redness, or the sensation of having a foreign object in your eye after the removal of the object.
Tags: first aid, eye