Does a GP consultation treat a foreign body in the eye?

A GP can ask how the object entered the eye, check your vision, examine the eye and look for a scratch on the clear surface. Small loose particles may wash out with gentle rinsing. An object embedded in the eye, a sharp fragment, or material that remains stuck should not be picked out at home. Your GP can arrange the appropriate assessment and advise whether urgent eye care is needed.

Do not rub or press the eye. Wash your hands, remove contact lenses if they come out easily, and let clean water flow gently over the eye. Avoid tweezers, cotton buds and eye drops intended to numb the eye. If the object followed grinding, drilling or another high-speed activity, protect the eye without trying to remove anything and seek prompt medical assessment.

Seek urgent care for reduced or blurred vision, severe pain, marked light sensitivity, bleeding, an object that is embedded, or difficulty opening the eye. Chemical splashes need immediate prolonged rinsing with clean water while arranging emergency help. A persistent gritty feeling after rinsing also deserves assessment because a surface scratch or retained particle may be present.

Ask whether the eye surface is scratched, whether any material remains, which service should remove it, and what symptoms should prompt a same-day review. Tell the clinician what the object was, when it entered the eye, and whether you were wearing contact lenses.