Corneal foreign body

A corneal foreign body is a particle which has become stuck to the front of the eye. Usually you feel that something has flown, blown or dropped into your eye. You may have been grinding, welding, doing DIY, cutting or drilling 1-3 days earlier.  The small particle, which we call a ‘foreign body’, often lies on the cornea (window) part of the eye.  The most common foreign body is a rusty metal particle. The foreign body may cause:

·           Watering of the eyes

·         Painful uncomfortable feeling that something is in your eye.

·         Redness of the white part of the eye

·         Sensitivity to light

·         Sometimes blurred vision

The cornea is the most sensitive part of the eye.

How is it removed? 

·           Anaesthetic (numbing) drops are instilled into the eye and then the particle is painlessly lifted off with a wet cotton bud or small needle. After the particle has been lifted off it usually leaves an abrasion or ‘scratch’ on the cornea

·         After a metal particle has been removed you may be left with a small amount of rust in the abrasion.  This can be softened and removed after 2 days of treatment with antibiotic ointment by the Emergency Eye Clinic team, who will arrange to contact you. 

·         If the rust or particle is completely removed with the cotton bud or needle, the antibiotic ointment, must still be used as it helps corneal healing and repair of the abrasion or scratch.  

·         The eye will remain painful until the abrasion has healed.  This can take between 24/48 hours.

·         To reduce the pain, a pain killing tablet such as paracetamol taken according to instructions may help and wear sunglasses. 

What happens next?        

Usually after a foreign body is fully removed,  the eye will not need checking again.  

We may refer you to the Emergency Eye clinic for a check of the eye if there is rust still in the abrasion after the foreign body is removed or if your vision has been affected by the foreign body.

Treatment    

The abrasion is treated by putting ointment into the eye and may be padded closed.  You will be given instructions of how to put the ointment in, usually four times a day for several days.