You Get a Foreign Body in Your Eye?

Do not rub the eye. Rubbing can cause the foreign body to become more deeply embedded or to scratch the cornea. Blink your eyes several times to try to wash the foreign body out. If that does not work, grasp your upper eyelashes between your thumb and forefinger and then pull the upper eyelid down over the lower eyelid, allowing it to contact the lower lid. This often dislodges a small foreign body adhering to the inside of the upper lid. If that doesn’t work, try rinsing the eye with some water or eyewash. Repeat these steps as necessary. If you continue to feel as if a foreign body is in your eye, you should seek medical attention. Sometimes a foreign body sensation in the eye is not due to a foreign body at all but may instead be the first symptom of a developing eye infection (conjunctivitis).