Foreign Object Removal With Your Optometrist

A foreign object in your eye is something that gets into your eye from outside your body. It can be a dust particle, wood splinter or broken pieces of stone, metal, glass, or pottery. When foreign objects enter the eyes, they will most likely injure the conjunctiva or scratch the cornea.

Foreign objects in the eye constitute eye emergencies that require immediate action. You can safely remove small foreign objects at home, but you will need a proficient optometrist for more severe injuries. Call your optometrist immediately if the object is piercing your eye and causing pain. Do not try to remove it yourself until you hear from them. 

A visit to your optometrist will have them examine and treat your injury and follow up on your treatment progress.

What to Expect

At the office, your optometrist will take a brief, detailed history of your incident to prepare for the removal process.

The optometrist may ask:
 

• What entered your eye? If the foreign object was wood splinters, yard debris, garden matter, or a rusty nail, your answer would determine the treatment required.

• When did the object enter your eye? The odds of infection from a foreign object in the eye increase with time. It takes about four to six hours for the corneal fluid to disintegrate the foreign object. At that point, the object's contents leak into the surrounding tissues.

• How did the injury happen? Your answer will help your optometrist determine the force with which the object entered your eye.

The Procedure

Your optometrist may apply topical anesthesia to keep you comfortable during removal. The first step will be a slit lamp test to allow your eye doctor to view your eye structures inside and out. 

The doctor will assess the depth of the foreign object, its type, your eye's condition, and any other important detail. The doctor will also check the condition of the other eye to see if it is also affected. The results from the slit lamp test will determine the techniques to remove the foreign object.

Loosely-rooted or Superficial Injury

Your optometrist may flush out loose fragments with sterile saline water. If that is not enough, a disinfected cotton swab, small needle, or spatula can help remove the object. A magnetic spud can remove the object without leaving any residual metallic pieces if the object is metallic. 

Deeper Injury Within the Cornea

The optometrist can use a spud, spatula, or a small needle. While a spatula or spud minimizes the risk of piercing and puncture, a needle usually causes less harm to the nearby tissues. 

Bulging Conjunctival and Corneal Foreign Objects

Your optometrist can use any of the methods above to remove protruding foreign objects in the eye. However, jeweler's forceps are the best option. They can allow the eye doctor to grip the object's edge and safely pull it out.

Corneal Rust Rings

A corneal rust ring happens when metallic foreign objects become trapped in the cornea. Tiny rust rings in the corneal stroma can clear up on their own. The stroma can shave them away one after the other as it regenerates.

But rust rings at the center of the cornea require aggressive removal as they can affect vision. Your optometrist will use a special brush (an Algerbrush) to remove them.

For more on foreign object removal with your optometrist, visit St. Marys Family Eyecare at our office in St. Marys, Ohio. Call (419) 800-0400 to schedule an appointment today.