Is something stuck in your eye? This can be a frustrating and uncomfortable experience!
If you’re wondering how to get something out of your eye, I’m here to help. These tips will help you remove the object, whether it’s an eyelash or a piece of fluff (where do they even come from?).
There are also times when it’s best to seek medical help. We’ll go through the differences between a DIY job and a seek-urgent-care situation.
Signs To Seek Medical Help
There are a few clear signs you shouldn’t keep trying to figure out how to get something out of your eye on your own. There are situations where seeking medical help is vital.
First things first, if you can’t see properly or are in a lot of pain, make sure to have someone else take you to the emergency room. Don’t attempt to drive alone.
If your eye is bleeding or if something has jabbed it, this is a situation that should be addressed by a medic at urgent care. Here are some other critical situations:
- If you have something embedded in your actual eyeball.
- You’re experiencing sudden vision loss.
- You’re having sharp pains in your eye.
- Your eye has been exposed to chemicals.
- You’ve tried every method, but you still feel like something is stuck in your eye.
- If you notice redness, or the sensation of something in your eye lasts more than 24 hours after you’ve gotten it out.
What To Avoid When Something’s in Your Eye
It’s also important to know what NOT to do when attempting to get something out of your eye:
- Don’t try to remove anything embedded in your eye or protruding from your eyelids (seek medical help).
- Avoid vigorously rubbing your eye or pressing on it, no matter how tempting it is.
- Don’t touch your eyes with unwashed hands (you don’t want an infection).
- Don’t jab your eye with a Q-tip. You can use a soft, clean (and moist) Q-tip to help remove something that’s at the edge of your eyelid. But you shouldn’t prod it directly in your eye.
- Avoid using tap water since it can sometimes harbor bacteria or chemicals that can irritate the eyes. Instead, use bottled water, eye drops, or saline solution.
How To Get Something Out of Your Eye: Top Tips
There are some simple methods to help remove basic things like trapped dust or a pesky eyelash. Let’s go through them.
1. Wash Your Hands
Before you touch your eye, make sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water. Even if you think your hands are clean, there’s an invisible buildup of bacteria, oils, and other particles. If you start picking at your eye with dirty hands, you can risk an eye infection, and nobody wants pink eye.
After your hands are clean, this is the time to remove your contact lenses, if you wear them. Whatever is stuck in your eye could be wedged between your contact lens and your eye.
2. Locate the Object That’s ‘Stuck’
Step in front of a mirror and use your index finger to pull your lower (or upper) eyelid down. Be gentle and avoid tugging at your skin. Next, look side to side and up and down to spot the object in your eye. Or, ask someone else to look at it for you, without touching your eye.
3. Blink and Remove Debris
Your body lubricates your eyes when you blink. Sometimes, when something gets stuck in your eye, your eyes can get watery because natural tears act as a defense system to remove pesky debris. So try blinking to get that moisture moving.
Gently Use Your Fingers
If you feel the object is moving but it’s not quite out, check if it’s on your eyelids. Eyelashes often get stuck at the edge of your eyelid.
With your (clean) finger, try to move it to the corner of your eye, and then it should effortlessly come out. Otherwise, you can gently remove it if it’s partially stuck to your eyelid.
However, don’t poke or prod your eyes, and avoid touching your eyeball directly, as this can cause irritation or injury.
If you have long nails, you should be extra careful to make sure they are clean and don’t scratch your eyes!
5. Flush Your Eye Out
This isn’t as radical as it sounds!
If you’ve tried blinking and naturally dislodging the object, and you’re still left wondering how to get something out of your eye, it’s time for other measures.
You can use a sterile eye wash, saline solution, or clean, warm (not hot) water. Try avoiding tap water, instead opting for clean, bottled water.
Flushing Methods
You can fill up a clean cup with warm water or eye solution, then tilt your head to the side and pour the water over your eye. It should run over and into your eye. Alternatively, you can open and close your eyes in the cup of water (repeat a few times) so it gently touches your eyes.
You can use your showerhead to do this, but it’s ideal if you have filtered water. Don’t aim the spray directly into your eye!
For saline solution, put the recommended dose into your eye to moisten it, which should dislodge the object.
At this point, if the object is still clearly stuck in your eye, then it’s time to seek medical help. Your eyes and the surrounding skin are delicate, so repeated attempts to remove the object might cause irritation. It’s never worth risking your vision.
Exposure to Chemicals
If you get chemicals in your eye, flush it for 15 minutes. If you notice visible issues, such as redness or distortion, seek emergency medical care and take the bottle of chemicals with you so they can best address the situation.
TL;DR
Wondering how to get something out of your eye? There are a few straightforward methods, but there are also situations when you should seek medical assistance.
- If you see something embedded in your eye and it’s painful, burning, or you’re experiencing vision loss, seek urgent care.
- If you’ve been jabbed in the eye and it’s painful or bleeding, also head to the emergency room.
- When removing the object, avoid rubbing or poking your eye, and don’t prod your eye with a Q-tip.
- First, wash your hands with soap and water. Then, look in the mirror and gently pull up your upper eyelid or down your lower eyelid while rolling your eye around. Use your index finger and avoid applying pressure.
- Once you’ve located the object (often an eyelash or a piece of debris), blink to stimulate movement and tear production. The object should then move to the edge of your eyelids.
- If you can see it at your eyelid, gently remove it with your finger, or guide it to the corner of your eye, where it’s easiest to remove. However, don’t touch your eyeball with your finger or Q-tip.
- If the blinking method didn’t work, then it’s time to try flushing it out. You can use a cup of warm (clean) water and run it over your eye from the side. Or, you can use a saline solution.
