From the Guidelines
If you have a foreign body in your eye, it is reasonable to attempt to remove the foreign body by allowing natural tears to wash out the object or by irrigating the eye with tap water or a commercial eye wash solution, but do not rub your eye as this may cause scratches. When dealing with a foreign body in the eye, it's crucial to prioritize careful removal to avoid further injury. According to the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1, for a person with a foreign body in the eye from a low-energy mechanism, such as dust, dirt, or an eyelash, attempting to flush it out with water is a reasonable first step.
Key Considerations
- Do not rub your eye, as this can cause scratches and potentially push the foreign body further into the eye, complicating the situation 1.
- If the object is visible on the white of your eye or under your lower eyelid, you might try to remove it gently with a clean, moist cotton swab, but this should be done with caution.
- For objects stuck to the cornea or embedded in the eye, seek immediate medical attention. High-velocity injuries or those involving sharp or metal objects also require immediate medical evaluation 1.
- After removal, using artificial tears can help soothe irritation. Over-the-counter oral acetaminophen or NSAIDs can be used to treat residual discomfort, as suggested by the guidelines 1.
Important Guidelines
- The guidelines emphasize the importance of seeking medical attention for certain types of eye injuries, including high-velocity injuries, penetrating eye injuries, or if there's a persistent foreign-body sensation in the eye 1.
- Taping a hard plastic eye shield, paper cup, or plastic cup over the eye can help prevent unintentional touching of the eye, which is a practical first aid measure 1.
Conclusion on Approach
Given the potential for serious complications, including corneal abrasions, infections, or further damage from metal or organic foreign bodies, a cautious approach is warranted. The most recent and highest quality guidelines support attempting removal with irrigation for low-energy mechanisms but emphasize the need for immediate medical attention in more severe cases or if the foreign body cannot be easily removed 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
INDICATIONS AND USAGE: Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is indicated for topical anesthesia in ophthalmic practice. Representative ophthalmic procedures in which the preparation provides good local anesthesia include measurement of intraocular pressure (tonometry), removal of foreign bodies and sutures from the cornea, conjunctival scraping in diagnosis and gonioscopic examination; it is also indicated for use as a topical anesthetic prior to surgical operations such as cataract extraction.
- Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is indicated for topical anesthesia in procedures including removal of foreign bodies from the cornea.
- The drug can be used to provide local anesthesia for the removal of foreign bodies from the eye, specifically the cornea. 2
From the Research
Foreign Body in Eye
- There are no research papers to assist in answering this question, as the provided studies focus on erythromycin, its uses, and its pharmacokinetics, with no mention of foreign bodies in the eye 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Related Studies
- The studies provided discuss the effectiveness of erythromycin against various bacterial infections, including gram-positive bacteria, Legionella pneumonia, and Chlamydia infections 4, 5.
- They also explore the pharmacokinetics of erythromycin, including its concentration in different compartments, such as plasma, tissue, and white blood cells 6.
- Additionally, the studies compare erythromycin with other antibiotics, such as ampicillin and amoxycillin, in the treatment of pneumonia, including Legionnaires' disease 7.
Erythromycin Uses
- Erythromycin is used to treat various infections, including acne, skin and soft tissue infections, streptococcal pharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonitis, and diphtheria 4.
- It is also used as prophylaxis for elective colon operations and to treat Campylobacter enteritis, genitourinary infections, and some sexually transmitted diseases 4.