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Decorating, and going just fine, then “ouch!” the soggy wallpaper you’re scraping off falls around your head AND dust gets in your eyes. You would know how to treat your own eyes right? Or would you panic and hot foot it to the A & E?
A minor foreign body should be easily removable without a professional to hand. If a larger object is involved, or a sharp foreign body, the rule of thumb is that you should seek medical attention.
Contact lens wearers should remove their lens before attempting to remove the foreign body. They should not be worn again until the eye is fully recovered.
Use a saline solution to thoroughly rinse out the eye. If you wear lenses, your cleaning solution can be used. If you aren’t a lens wearer then water from the tap or distilled water is fine. The idea is to flush out the eye, but it is to be noted that in the event of using water from the tap, chlorine can possibly cause irritation. It is of more importance to flush out the eye thoroughly than to be concerned with what you used to do the job.
- If you are near a drinking fountain try and rinse out with your eyes open.
- At a sink, cup your hands and run the water from the tap into your eye.
- You can also hold a glass of water to your eye and use it as an eye bath. Do this as many times as you can.
- Jump into the shower if it is an option.
- If you find yourself outside, a water hose with a very modest flow of water will work.
If you have been unable to flush out the foreign body, you can attempt its removal with the tip of a cotton bud, but avoid touching the eye itself.
- Pull down on the bottom edge of your lower lid or by pull up the upper edge of the upper lid.
- When looking for a foreign body under your lower lid, look upwards.
- Likewise, look down when looking for an object under your upper lid. You may need help with this scenario.
- Do not scrape whatever you are using to remove the foreign object over your cornea.
Large foreign bodies or metal for example should be removed by a professional even if it looks as though you could extract it yourself.
If you are still in discomfort even after a foreign object has been removed, get a professional to examine you.
Happy DIY-ing!