published on 07/13/2020 • adapted to the French-speaking Belgian context • https://www.infosante.be
A patient guide is a tool designed to help you make choices for your health. It offers you information based on scientific research. It explains what you can do to improve your health or what professionals can offer you during a consultation. Good reading !
What is it about ?
The eye consists of several parts. The outer part is the sclera or sclera, it is the white of the eye. A thin protective membrane covers it, it is the conjunctiva. In the front part of the eye, the sclera extends into a transparent part, the cornea. The cornea is in front of the iris and the pupil. The light is transmitted to the inside of the eye through the cornea.
Something outside the eye that falls on the cornea is called a “foreign body” in the eye. It can be anything: sand, wood chip, metal (during a grinding operation, for example), plaster, concrete, etc.
How to recognize it?
Most people know very well when something has hit their eye. Usually there is an annoying sensation in the eye. By blinking, we feel the eyelid rub against the object. We often have the impression that it is under the upper eyelid.
The eye turns red, it cries and may be painful. If the foreign body is right in the middle of the cornea, vision may become blurry. It happens to see the object in the mirror as a small black dot. A ring of brown rust may form around a piece of metal that has entered the eye.
How is the diagnosis made?
Sometimes the foreign body is visible and other times it will take a magnifying glass to see it. Sometimes the tears are able to remove the smallest foreign bodies. In this case, the complaints felt should disappear within 2 days. If in doubt, you will always be referred to the ophthalmologist.
What can you do ?
Always rinse the eye with plenty of clean water. Avoid rubbing your eye as you may push the foreign body even deeper. If you still feel something after rinsing your eye, see your doctor. Note that if it is something metallic, don’t waste a minute as rust can form.
What can your doctor do?
The doctor will always remove the foreign body. He anesthetizes the cornea with eye drops and removes small fragments with the tip of a needle specially made for this purpose. If necessary, he will use a magnifying glass.
If a rust ring is already present, the ophthalmologist will also need to carefully remove it. The procedure is simpler when an oily ointment is applied to the eye just before. Then there is sometimes a small sore (erosion) on the cornea. In this case, follow-up treatment with antibiotic eye cream.
Covering the eye does not speed healing but can relieve pain caused by eyelid movements.
If it is not possible to remove the object and / or if visual disturbances are present, the doctor will always refer you to an ophthalmologist.
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