EYE, FOREIGN BODY IN

General Information

DEFINITION--Embedding of a small speck of metal, wood, stone, sand, paint or other foreign material in the eye.

BODY PARTS INVOLVED--Eye, usually the conjunctiva (outer eye covering).

SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED--Both sexes; all ages.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Severe pain, irritation and redness in the eye.
• Foreign body visible with the naked eye (usually). Sometimes the foreign body is very small, trapped under the eyelid and invisible except with medical examination.
• Scratchy feeling with blinking.

CAUSES--Accident.

RISK INCREASES WITH

• Windy weather.
• Occupations or activity, such as carpentry or grinding, in which fine particles of wood or other materials fly loose in the air.

HOW TO PREVENT--Wear protective eye coverings if your occupation or hobby involves the risk of eye injury.

What To Expect

DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES--

• Your own observation of symptoms.
• Medical history and physical exam by a doctor. This may include staining the eye with a harmless substance (fluorescein) to outline the object and examine the eye through a magnifying lens.

APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE

• Doctor's treatment.
• The procedure to remove the object will be determined by its size and location within the eye.
• An eye patch will be applied to keep the eye closed.
• Follow-up examination should be done in 1 to 2 days.
• Self-care after removal of the particle.

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

• Infection, especially if the foreign body is not removed completely.
• Severe, permanent vision damage caused by penetration of deeper eye layers.

PROBABLE OUTCOME--Most objects can be removed simply under local anesthesia in a doctor's office or emergency room.

How To Treat

GENERAL MEASURES--

• Ask someone else to drive you to the doctor's office. Don't try to drive yourself.
• Don't rub the eye.
• Keep the eye closed, if possible, until you are examined.
• Wear an eye patch to keep the eye closed, or dark glasses, for 24 hours after removal to protect your eye from bright light.

MEDICATION--Your doctor may prescribe:

• Antibiotic eye drops or ointment to prevent infection.
• Pain relievers.
• Local anesthetic eye drops.

ACTIVITY--Resume your normal activities gradually after removal of the foreign body and the patch, if one is applied.

DIET--No special diet.

Call Your Doctor If

• You have a foreign body in the eye.
• The following occurs after removal: Pain increases or does not disappear in 2 days. You develop a fever. Your vision changes.