When you believe you have a foreign body lodged in your eye, the first thing to do is try to rinse it out. Wash your hands and fill up a bowl of clean warm water. Use an eyecup or form a bowl with your hands and immerse the eye into the water and then open the eye to try flushing the object out. Never rub the eye as this can make things worse, causing more scratches to the ocular surface.

When you close your eye and cannot feel the irritation then it is probably out. Look at where the eye is red as this is often a clue where the foreign body is.

If you cannot remove it, seek care at the optometrist who has diagnostic equipment. For painful severe cases and where the eye appears punctured, it is best to attend the emergency department.

Foreign bodies that are embedded deep underneath the eyelids can be removed using a special irrigation system called Rinsada. Metal foreign body and rust ring can also be removed using a tool called an Algerbrush. Follow up advice will vary depending on extent of the eye damage. Sometimes topical antibiotics and/or steroids are prescribed. Sometimes, the eye needs to be patched or a shield is required for a day.