A non-medical professional should never attempt to remove any object that is sticking into an eyeball (for example, a knife). Home removal of foreign objects that are resting or floating on the eyeball, such as eyelashes, cinders, or specks, is possible.
IF and object is sticking into the eyeball:
Do not let the injured person rub or touch his or her eyes.
Keep the injured person lying down, if possible.
Wash your hans with soap and water before carefully examining the injured person's eyes.
This bears repeating: DO NOT attempt to remove any foreign object that is sticking into the eyeball.
Gently cover both eyes with a sterile or a clean compress or bandage lightly in place around the injured person's head. It is necessary to cover both eyes because when one eye moves, the other tends to move as well.
See professional medical help promptly! Transport the injured person on a stretcher if possible.
Fortunately, most foreign objects that get into the eyeball are not of the sticking-in variety. Small particles like eyelashes, cinders and specks are much more common and can be treated at home.
These are the symptoms of having "something in one's eye":
Pain
Burning sensation
Tearing
Redness of the eye
Sensitivity to light
IF you can see the object in someone else's eye:
Flush the eye with cool water. Use a faucet, or if you are not near a sink, a glass of water or an eyedropper. The flushing action should remove the object.
If the flowing water does not dislodge the object and you can still see it in the eye, gently cover both eyes with gauze pads and seek medical attention. It is necessary to cover both eyes because, as pointed out earlier, when one eye moves, the other tends to move as well.
IF you cannot see the object in someone else's eye:
The object may be stuck under the lower or uppr eyelid. For objects that you suspect are hiding underneath the lower eyelid, follow these steps:
1. Flush the eye with cool water as described above. If flushing doesn't work, continue with step 2.
2. Wash your hands
3. Place the injured person under a bright light.
4. Ask the injured person to look up, while you gently pull down the lower eyelid. If you can see the foreign object, either flush it out with an eyedropper or gently touch it with a wet Q-tip so that the object attaches itself to the cotton. If the object will not adhere, do not keep trying. Instead, cover both eyes with gauze pads and seek medical attention.
5. If the item was successfully removed with the Q-tip, rine the eye with cool water.
If the above steps did not solve the problem, or if you think the object is located underneath the upper eyelid, follow these steps:
1. Curl the eyelashes and upper eyelid around a fresh Q-tip, being careful not to pull.
2. If you see an object on the upper lid or on the upper surface of the eyeball, flush it out with water while continuing to hold the Q-tip in place.
3. If necessary, gently touch the object with a wet Q-tip to see if it will attach itself to the cotton. If the object will not adhere, do not keep trying. Instead, cover both eyes with gauze pads and seek medical attention.
4. If the item was successfully removed with the Q-tip, let go of the upper lid and rinse the eye with water.
