WHAT ARE FOREIGN BODIES?
If you’ve ever gotten something in your eye, then it is referred to as a foreign body. Some examples include fine dust particles on a windy day, sand or dirt from gardening, metal shavings from grinding or even insects.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF FOREIGN BODIES?
Foreign bodies will often lead to red, gritty and watery eyes with a scratchy feeling when blinking. It may also present with sharp pain, followed by irritation and/or a burning sensation. In some cases, there may be some bleeding seen on the white part of the eye (subconjunctival haemorrhage), light sensitivity, blurred vision or loss of vision in the affected eye.
FOREIGN BODIES HAVE FURTHER COMPLICATIONS
Foreign bodies often cause irritation or damage to the cornea – the front surface of the eye – as they become embedded onto the surface This can cause the cornea to become scratched when blinking and can possibly lead to corneal infections or scarring if the foreign body is not removed.
In some cases, foreign bodies may also penetrate the eye and lead to eye injury or trauma. This often occurs with small, high speed objects, such as metal shavings or shards from grinding, and can lead to additional infection or toxic effects on intraocular structures of the eye. This is vision-threatening and can lead to blindness if left untreated.
If you do have a foreign body in your eye, please contact us on 9728 7288 for an eye examination to have it removed immediately by one of our optometrists to reduce the risk of secondary infection and toxic effects on your eye.
