Topic Overview
It's not uncommon for a speck of dirt or a
small object, such as an eyelash or makeup, to get in your eye. Usually your
natural tears will wash the object out. Objects may scratch the surface of the
eye (cornea) or may become stuck on the eye. If the
is scratched, it can be hard to tell when you
have gotten the object out, because a scratched cornea may feel painful and as
though something is still in the eye. Most corneal scratches are minor and heal
on their own in 1 or 2 days.
See a picture of the
.
Small objects traveling at high speed
or sharp objects traveling at any speed can cause serious injury to many parts
of the eyeball. Injury may cause bleeding, a
change in the size or shape of the pupil, a film over
the eye lens, or damage to the inside of the eyeball. These objects may become
embedded deep in the eye and may require medical treatment.
Objects
in the eye can be prevented by using protective eyewear.
Wear safety glasses, goggles, or face shields when working with power tools
or chemicals or doing any activity that might cause an object or substance to
get into your eyes. Some professions, such as health care and construction, may
require workers to use protective eyewear to reduce the risk of foreign objects
or substances or body fluids getting in the eyes.
For information
about other types of eye injuries, such as blows to the eye, see the topic
Eye Injuries.
Use the Check Your Symptoms section to decide if
and when you should see a doctor.