The eyes, being the most sensitive body part, need optimum care. Any external irritant should be dislodged quickly— else it might aggravate the situation and lead to infections with partial or complete vision loss. Keep on reading this article to find out life hacks: how to get something out of your eye. However, we recommend consulting any ophthalmologist or optometrist but all these following methods would most likely give you a detailed insight to curtail the eye irritation as an immediate remedy.
Beware of the situations that could cause any foreign bodies to jab deep into your eyes inadvertently. Let’s cut it short and get to the point:
Detection by eye:
The cornea is quite sensitive to external particles. The reason is the surface of cornea is embedded with pain and sensory receptors— which are in the second highest amount compared to anywhere else in the body.
If you think can something get stuck behind your eye or on the eyeball, then yes it can! But it is immediately detected by the cornea.
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Five Easy Ways To Get Something Out Of Your Eye
Metal, glass or plastic particles, pepper and lime juice, wood fragments, hair, dust, debris and plant sap are one of the many foreign bodies that could get inside the eyes.
Eyelashes and eyelids are the natural defense mechanisms that protect the eyes. As soon as the cornea detects something stuck in eye, tears push it out. But when something large or corrosive enters the eyes, it should be removed instantly to prevent any complications. If you have something in your eye will it eventually come out? Don’t worry. Below are the various ways that could help you in this regard:
Rinse with water:
Tap water is one of the many life hacks: how to get something out of your eye. Remember tap water isn’t highly pure like distilled water, however, it can still be used as a prompt remedy.
- First, use your fingers to let the eyes firmly open.
- Then sprinkle a large volume of water inside the eyes.
- Remember to adjust the tap’s faucet to control the liquid flow from the sink as per your needs. The water should be splashed with lesser pressure. Besides, lukewarm water would be a plus too.
It sure isn’t the most ideal method but can be used if one needs immediate help if you’re searching out how do I remove something stuck in my eye— especially for any painful irritant.
In case of corrosive agents or toxic chemicals, go for other ways to get something out of your eye. The reason is water only dilutes the chemicals and later on rinses them. It clarifies why large volumes of water are required for washing away the toxins i.e. almost 0.4 gallons/ minute.
Wash the eyes for a particular time keeping in view the kind of irritant:
Irrespective of whatever hacks to get something out of your eye you’re using, some points should be followed as to how long you need to rinse the eyes.
In case of moderate irritants, like shampoo or soap that is most likely to get in the eyes while bathing, washing them for 5 minutes with pure water is enough.
For hazardous agents like acids and alkalis that penetrate deep into the eyes, rinsing them with water for 30 to 60 minutes with short intervals is recommended. But these toxic chemicals shouldn’t be taken lightly. Larger amounts of corrosive acids like battery acids or alkalis such as ammonia or washing bleach can usually get in the eyes in homes. In this situation, immediately consult Poison Control which offers immediate, expert medical advice 24/7 if somebody suspects any poisonous, corrosive substance.
Another way to use water for flushing the eyes to take out any irritant or dirt in your eye is to place the head below the running tap. Afterwards, open the eye to gently wipe it with water.
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Use an eye wash:
Eye wash is the best way to get something out of your eye. The basic composition of an eye wash is always pure, deionized water with some saline concentration.
Purchase any commercially available eyewash of some recognized brand and use it.
Method to make eyewash at home:
It can be made with easily available ingredients and thus can be used in emergencies. As tears are innate and the only way how to get something out of your eye naturally thus the purpose of the eyewash is to correspond to the formulation of tears— with approximately similar salt concentration to that of tears i.e. almost 1%.
Dissolve non-ionized table salt ( half tsp) with one to two grams of boric acid in sterile, distilled water (one cup). Keep this mixture in an airtight bottle that’s been thoroughly disinfected.
Boric acid is an antiseptic that kills germs and bacteria. Therefore, it’s been an essential ingredient of eye washes for ages.
Fill the prepared eyewash in a dropper or bowl. Maintain a temperature that’s neither too hot nor too cold i.e. between 15°C – 37°C. Use this eyewash to flush out something stuck in eye – by continuously moving the eyes in all locations.
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Try an eye cup:
One of the many life hacks: how to get something out of your eye is using an eye cup. It is used in the following way:
- First disinfect the eye cup.
- Then, fill it either with eye wash or sterile water—whatever is available.
- Next, place the eye cup right on the eye by firmly pressing it.
- Lastly, let it rest on your eyes for some time while holding it. Make sure you position the cup in a way that liquid doesn’t leak from its sides.
- Open the eyes and move them in all possible directions so that the eyes get submerged with the eyewash or mere water and are treated.
In case the eye cup isn’t available, use a water bowl. Disinfect the boil first ( particularly from the rim) and fill it with sterile water. Keep your eyes open after positioning your head inside the bowl.
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Use Cotton Buds:
Using a q-tip is a handy way if you wanna know how to get something out of your eye without eye drops. As they have cotton wads wrapped at each end of the stick, thus they are gentle but still you need to follow a proper method to use them for getting something out of your eye.
- For smaller foreign bodies: All you’ve to do is to roll the eyelid using the cotton bud gently—in a way that the object that has gotten inside the eye is exposed. Then rinsing the eye with water would remove the stuck particles.
- For extremely minute objects: You need to stop blinking your eyes and let them open by supporting them with cotton buds for a few seconds. Tears would start flowing and the foreign body would be flushed out with them.
Using cotton swabs isn’t recommended if any large or sharp object gets in the eye. Remember not to rub eye directly with the q-tip.
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Wipe with damp tissue paper:
If some object hasn’t gotten deep inside the eye and is present on the outer periphery, then it can be removed by using a slightly wet tissue too. For some particularly visible particles, dip the tissue slightly in the water and touch the object with its edge that you’re gonna remove. The foreign particles would come out by coming in contact with the damp tissue.
It’s not the much recommended and best way to get something out of your eye — especially compared to rinsing with water. The reason is it needs great caution. But it can be used if you’re curious about how to get cat hair out of eye.
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Can I Dislodge Something Stuck In Eye Myself Without Going To A Doctor?
Yes, you can.
Thoroughly clean hands: It’s necessary for self-examination to make sure no contaminants are present on the hands that could possibly lead to any infection.
Locate foreign body in the eye: For this, you’ve to move the eye in all directions— from right to left and also back and forth. This way, you’ll detect the object. Perform this step in front of the mirror in a well-lit place.
Pull the eyelid out: Just grasp the eyelid either with your fingers or a cotton swab. Then pull the eyelid ahead. Now space would be created between the eyeball and the lid.
Blink your eyes quickly and repeatedly for some time. Using this method, the external irritant would come out after some repeated tries.
I have also used this technique quite a few times and till now it has worked always!
Ask somebody near you for assistance: Locating the object is easy but pulling it out yourself isn’t a piece of cake. Thus, we advise taking professional help if you feel difficult how do you get something that is stuck in your eye out.
Aftercare: Once you get successful in getting something out of your eye, it doesn’t end here and needs some aftercare as well.
Guidelines For Accelerating The Recovery:
Till now, you might’ve figured out how do you get something out of your eyeball. Next, follow below discussed points to stimulate recovery:
- Using glasses outdoors to shield sensitive eyes from harmful UV rays.
- Consulting the physician immediately if the pain or irritation stays after removing the foreign object. Experiencing slight discomfort in eyes after removing the foreign particle for a day is normal. But go to an eye specialist if it exceeds one day.
- Refrain from using contact lenses on the treated eyes as long as they are recovered completely.
- Avoid excessive touching of eyes unnecessarily. Also, touch them with properly cleaned hands only.
Cautions That Should Be Adopted While Getting Something Out Of Your Eye:
Avoid applying pressure to your eyes: Pressure won’t remove the foreign body faster, rather it would intensify the situation
Always wash your hands: The first and foremost tip is to use clean hands for removing something stuck in eye. Dirty hands containing dust particles can add to the irritants and even worsen the eye unintentionally.
Never rub the eyes: Now that’s something quite basic but equally important to follow. Rubbing can cause any foreign object or irritant in the eye to harshly scratch the cornea — eventually harming the eye and even leading to infection or injury.
As the cornea responds to entered light, thus its damage by any means can entirely block or partly distort the light. It would affect the ability of the eye to focus—either near or far objects. As a result, the vision would be highly interfered with.
Refrain from using any harsh fabric on the eye: Rough surfaces like some tissues or clothing should be completely avoided if you think something in my eye won’t come out — as it could cause discomfort by scratching the eyes.
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Is It Possible To Feel Something Stuck In Eye, But Nothing There Actually?
Yes, it can happen. The most probable reason might be something named floaters.
This condition arises due to the disintegration of agglomeration of cells found in the eye and then their movement all around the eye. What happens in this condition is that some portion of vitreous fluid ( found in between the retina and eye lens) partly blocks the retina by sticking with each other— in turn affecting the vision.
These floaters then appear in the form of tiny dark lines, stains, threads or specks.
Some of its many causes are aging and any noticeable changes in the eyes.
Another reason that might make you think something is stuck in my eye is blepharitis. It is the inflammation of the eyelid glands and involves swelling of the lid edges.
It is associated with the deficiency of moisture in eyes that appear as dry flakes on eyelids as well as lashes. Blepharitis is also caused by bacteria found in the eyes due to clogging of the eyelid glands and can make you wonder how to get something out of your eye lower lid. It is easily healed within a few days or in worst cases, by the topical application of ointments. Thus you can get the sensation of something piercing your eyes due to the dryness in them.
Other than these conditions, dust particles and eyelashes usually enter the eye= causing us to have the sensation of a foreign object on blinking due to minor irritation.
Final Verdict: How To Get Something Out Of Your Eye?
The above-mentioned methods would’ve given you an idea of how to get something out of your eye. But it’s imperative to see an expert ophthalmologist if the situation gets exacerbated—especially if the foreign body is larger or toxic. Beware of putting on goggles while handling anything that could pose the risk of getting something stuck in the eye.
FAQs
It is entirely dependent on the kind of object that has gone inside the eye and the methods being used for its removal.
Once you’ve succeeded in dislodging the object from the eye, a slight irritation might still feel, for one to two days— particularly if the foreign object was larger or more harmful. Cells on the eye surface are healed quite fast. Slight abrasion or injury on the peripheral portion of the cornea that is caused by something in my eye for days even can be restored in a few days.
Any abrasion in the eye might lead to serious discomfort. But there are some ways to reduce this pain. Using your fingers to lightly massage all across the eyelids by putting minimal pressure can greatly help.
The other ways to get something out of your eye and then relieve the irritation caused by it is by applying ice cubes (wrapped in a cloth) on the affected eye portion. It should be done for not more than 5 to 10 minutes.
Dealing with metal can occasionally lead to metal particles inside your eyes. It can happen with those handling metals in industries or with somebody fixing some metal appliance inside the home as well.
If the metallic foreign body is ferrous, it would rust. Even small ferrous particles might dissolve in the cornea. Iron metal particles are adhered to the surface of cornea — leading to the formation of a rust ring all around the cornea. The rust ring has some serious side effects. It can blur the vision and in extreme cases can lead to keratitis as well i.e. corneal swelling.
As rust ring has serious side effects so we don’t recommend removing ferrous particles at home by any of the above methods. Visit a professional like an ophthalmologist if you wanna know how to get rust out of your eye safely.