Does foreign body in the eye cause red eye?

Dust, grit, an eyelash, or another small object can rub the eye’s surface and irritate tiny blood vessels, making the white of the eye look pink or red. Watering, repeated blinking, a gritty feeling, and discomfort may occur too. Redness can remain after loose material leaves because the surface may still be inflamed or scratched. Redness alone cannot show how serious the injury is.

Wash your hands and remove contact lenses. Rinse the eye gently with clean lukewarm water or sterile saline, then blink normally. Do not rub the eye, use tweezers, or scrape the surface. Do not try to lift out material that appears embedded. Avoid contact lenses until the eye feels normal and a clinician has advised that they are safe to wear.

Seek urgent eye care for severe pain, vision loss or blurring, strong light sensitivity, bleeding, inability to open the eye, or redness after chemical exposure. An injury involving metal, glass, or a high-speed object also needs prompt assessment. Arrange review if the gritty feeling or redness does not settle after rinsing.

Ask whether the surface is scratched, whether drops are appropriate, when contact lenses can be restarted, and what symptoms mean you should return urgently.