If you have something stuck in your eye, do you subconsciously rub your eye? Stop! The consequences are more serious than you think

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Expert of this article: Xu Qibin, associate chief physician, deputy director of ophthalmology department, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine

In summer, all kinds of insects start to move around, especially flying insects.

Some flying insects are so frightening that people try to stay away from them.

Some small flying insects seem to be "harmless" to humans and animals, and people often treat them as air.

However, these “harmless” little flying insects sometimes fly to unexpected places, such as into people’s eyes.

According to a news report, a small flying insect flew into a citizen's eye in Shenzhen. He rubbed it with his hand and nearly went blind...

Rubbing your eyes can have such serious consequences? What should you do if a foreign object gets into your eye? Today is National Eye Care Day, let's talk about foreign objects getting into your eyes!

Why can’t you rub your eyes if insects or mosquitoes get into them?

If a "blind" insect or mosquito rushes into your eyes, do not rub or rub them. It is recommended that you go to the ophthalmology department of a hospital for diagnosis and treatment.

If you insist on kneading, the consequences may be as follows:

When mosquitoes enter the eyes, rubbing them may cause the mosquitoes to burst, and the insect's body fluids may cause an inflammatory reaction in the eyes, such as conjunctivitis, keratitis, etc.

Some insects have sharp spines. If rubbed, the spines may pierce the cornea or eyeball, causing eye infection and vision damage. These spines are often difficult to locate, making treatment difficult.

Do you still dare to rub it? Stop it now! Going to the hospital is the right thing to do.

Where did all the dirt that was invisible to the eyes go?

Some people think that if there is a foreign object in the eye, they can just rub it and it will be gone.

In fact, it is impossible for foreign bodies to disappear by rubbing. If the foreign bodies that enter the eye are soft, transparent and small, not sharp and relatively lubricated, such foreign bodies may cause irritating tear secretion after entering the eye, and with the discharge of the tear system or overflow of the conjunctival sac, it is more helpful to rinse with water.

If it is not discharged, the following may occur:

The foreign body may become lodged in the bulbar conjunctiva or become stuck in the fornix conjunctiva and the inner palpebral conjunctiva of the upper eyelid.

Foreign objects may be inserted into the cornea. The cornea has five layers of tissue, and foreign objects may be present in both the shallow and deep layers.

The foreign body may have entered the anterior chamber of the eye at one end or entirely, or may have become embedded in the iris or lens, in the vitreous cavity, in the retinal tissue, in the sclera, or may have passed through the eyeball to the back of the eyeball.

In short, once a foreign object enters the eye, it is not only difficult to rub it out, but it may also cause further damage to the eye.

After seeing the doctor, the ophthalmologist will look at the size, sharpness, shape, speed, angle, etc. of the foreign body. He or she can use a flashlight, slit lamp, eye B-ultrasound, orbital CT, X-ray, and MRI to locate the foreign body and minimize damage to the eyes.

Is it possible that there is a foreign object stuck in the eye and can't be removed?

The harsh truth is, it happens.

For example, when welding or grinding tiles during decoration, some debris may become embedded in the cornea. If they are not removed for a long time, they can cause ocular surface infection, especially keratitis and corneal ulcers. Not only will the eyes be extremely painful, but they can also result in decreased vision and blurred vision.

If a foreign body is injected into the eyeball and is not removed in time, it may cause serious eye diseases such as traumatic cataracts and retinal detachment.

What is the correct way to deal with foreign matter in the eye?

If a foreign body cannot be expelled quickly after entering the eye, you should go to the hospital's ophthalmology department for diagnosis and treatment immediately, follow the doctor's instructions, and return for follow-up visits on time.

1. If chemical foreign bodies enter the eyes, such as 502, acid, alkali, pesticides, etc., the first and most important step is to rinse the affected eye with plenty of clean water as soon as possible. When rinsing, turn the eyeball, and it is best to turn over the upper eyelid for more than 30 minutes. After rinsing, immediately go to the nearest hospital for ophthalmology diagnosis and treatment.

2. If the foreign body is iron particles, chestnut thorns, etc., most of them are stuck in the cornea. Under the treatment of an ophthalmologist, the foreign body needs to be removed from the cornea. After removal, anti-infection eye drops should be used to prevent eye infection.

3. If the foreign body is just some sand, cotton wool, hair, eyelashes, etc., it will often get stuck in the upper eyelid or fornix conjunctiva when the eyeball rotates. Many patients and their families will not turn up their eyelids, so it is recommended to see an ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist will examine the patient under a slit lamp and remove the foreign body.

4. After a foreign object enters the eye, remember not to rub it, as it will cause the foreign object to move and rub on the surface of the eyeball, causing conjunctival damage or corneal abrasion, causing corneal epithelial detachment, and exposing the superficial corneal nerves. Patients often experience symptoms such as red eyes, photophobia, and tearing.

5. There are also some foreign objects entering the eyes that can cause great eye damage, such as foreign objects penetrating the cornea, iris, lens, eyeball, etc. These often occur when working on construction sites, nailing, and other physical mechanical work. Once the above eye injuries occur, you must rush to the hospital's ophthalmology department for symptomatic treatment.

In summary

Do not rub if foreign matter enters your eye

Whether the foreign body is alive or dead

To judge according to the situation of foreign matter

When you cannot expel it yourself

See a doctor as soon as possible

To reduce damage to your eyes!

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