A gust of wind that blows dust, plant debris or pollen into your eye; a chemical or beauty product that is blown into your eye; or an eyelash or hair that falls into your eye - it doesn't take long to get a foreign body in your eye.
In most cases, foreign bodies remain on the surface of the eye, causing redness, pain and tearing. Occasionally, however, the foreign body becomes lodged inside the eyeball, requiring treatment to avoid complications.
The main symptoms are a sensation of something in the eyes, irritation, sudden eye pain, pain that may worsen with blinking, itching, discomfort with light, or blurred, hazy vision.
The important thing is to remove the foreign body as quickly as possible, taking the following steps:
- Do not rub the affected eye to avoid damaging the cornea.
- Pour saline into the affected eye to try to extract the foreign body
- Use a moist cotton swab, avoiding rubbing the cornea
If this does not work, it is imperative to consult an ophthalmologist to remove the foreign body.