Quite often there are situations when a foreign body gets into the eye. It can be eyelashes, small winged insects, dust particles. Much less often, there may be elements associated with any human activity, such as metal or wood shavings. The ingress of a foreign body into the eye, depending on its nature, may or may not be considered dangerous. If first aid is not provided correctly, then a minor problem can turn into a serious situation.
Causes of a foreign body
Situations due to which foreign elements can get into the organs of vision are different. If a foreign body is felt in the eye, the reasons for this may be the following:
- Poor personal hygiene. In this case, various elements most often fall into the eyes of young children, who do not wash their hands after the street and begin to rub their faces with them. The smallest debris enters the organs of vision,grains of sand, dust.
- Work injuries. They usually arise if a person works in a factory where metal or wood is processed on machines. Flying particles can change their trajectory and enter the eye at high speed, penetrating deep into it, causing serious injury.
- Strong wind. In this case, the vortices raise dust, small sawdust and other particles from the ground, which can get into the face.
- Contact lenses. If properly handled, they will not cause any harm to a person. But when using them with dirty hands, foreign bodies are often brought into the eyes.
- Wool clothes. If you wear a wool sweater over your head, very thin fibers remain on the eyelashes, which after a while imperceptibly enter the eyes.
Signs of a foreign body in the eye
The sensation of a foreign body in the eye can be manifested as minor discomfort or unbearable pain. It depends on how badly the organ of vision is damaged, and the location of the foreign object.
A foreign body usually found in the eye causes pain and discomfort. Lachrymation, redness, burning, bleeding from superficial vessels may occur, photosensitivity increases, soft tissues swell, vision begins to blur.
Very rarely, when a small and sharp foreign particle enters the eye, there are completely no or very minor symptoms of damage. A person can do nothingbother, but if there is a suspicion that there is a foreign body in the eye, he should immediately consult an ophthalmologist.
What is the danger of getting a foreign object in the eye?
Foreign elements in the organ of vision cause its toxic or mechanical damage, as well as inflammatory reactions (blepharitis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, uveitis), hemorrhages and secondary complications.
The safest is the presence of a foreign body in the conjunctival sac. If the object is sharp, it easily penetrates the cornea or sclera. And if it flew at high speed, then they are damaged.
If the foreign body in the eye is iron or copper, often there is such a nuisance as metallosis, which is a chemical reaction with the tissues of the eye. Its danger lies in the fact that visual acuity begins to decrease, twilight blindness may occur, the field of vision narrows, and other symptoms appear. If a foreign object is in the eye for a long time, then very serious complications can arise.
How to give first aid?
If a foreign body is felt in the eye, first aid should be given as soon as possible. It is necessary to examine the organ of vision, raising the upper eyelid and lowering the lower one. In some cases, such a manipulation is quite enough to remove the object that has fallen.
How to get a foreign body out of the eye? When it is detected, it is necessary to determine whether the solidor soft. If the item is soft, you can try to remove it. You can’t move it over the surface of the eye and you shouldn’t poke at its center, but you need to make a point from the tip of a clean handkerchief and try to capture this particle with it so that it sticks to it, after which it is removed.
If the object cannot be removed, it is forbidden to rub the eye, otherwise the foreign body will only penetrate deeper into it, which can lead to additional injuries. The affected organ of vision should be kept closed for as long as possible, as blinking can increase irritation.
After that, a bandage is applied over the eye so that it does not press on the eyeball, and seek medical help.
Diagnostics
If a patient complains of a foreign body sensation in the eye, a diagnosis should be made. The examination consists in the implementation of a vision test procedure and a thorough examination of the membranes of the eye using a special lamp.
Ultrasound, ophthalmoscope and eye X-ray can also be used for examination.
Removal of a foreign body in a hospital
If it was not possible to pull out a foreign object from the organs of vision on your own or it poses a danger to human he alth, the victim must be urgently taken to the hospital for qualified assistance. Difficult cases require the involvement of an ophthalmic surgeon.
The doctor removes a foreign body from the eye using a wet swab, which is moistened in an antiseptic, or performs jet washing with a special solution. These manipulations are carried out if the foreign particle is on the surface of the eye.
If the mote has invaded the conjunctival area, then its removal is carried out using an anesthetic solution, since this procedure is quite painful. First, the doctor instills a solution into the eye, and after it has begun to act, removes a foreign object with tweezers or a needle. After removing it, the eyes are washed, and sodium sulfacyl is placed behind the eyelids. Usually, after removing the foreign particle, the inflammation disappears very quickly, but sometimes the patient may feel a little discomfort. Usually this happens due to microtrauma on the conjunctiva.
Sometimes a foreign body can get on the cornea. In this case, the motes lie deep in the eye, as they have penetrated with great force. It can be wood fragments, metal shavings, glass. Some time after penetration, an infiltrate occurs around the foreign particle. If the mote is not removed in a timely manner, then suppuration will form around it very soon. To confirm the diagnosis, biomicroscopy and diaphanoscopy are performed. Then an anesthetic is instilled into the eye, and the foreign object is removed with a special tool. After that, a bandage is applied to the organ of vision and a course of antibiotics is prescribed.
Foreign particles in the eye cavity itself are quite rare. In this case, the foreign objectpenetrates the choroid or vitreous body. This can lead to iridocyclitis, vitreous opacity, as well as dystrophy and retinal detachment. If a foreign object enters the eye with great force, it may cause crushing.
Prevention
Prophylactic measures to prevent foreign particles from entering the eyes are to observe personal hygiene and work safety rules. If the work is related to the operation of the machine, be sure to wear safety goggles. Young children need constant supervision, and older ones are advised to clarify the rules of personal hygiene.
Conclusion
Thus, if you suspect that there is a foreign body in the eye, you can try to get rid of it yourself. But this should be done only if the organ of vision is not harmed. If, for example, metal chips have flown in, you need to use the help of an ophthalmologist, otherwise serious complications may arise.
