What Does Light Sensitivity Feel Like With a Foreign Body in the Eye?

A speck of dust, an eyelash or another small object can make the eye feel gritty, scratchy or as though something is still stuck under the lid. Light may increase the sting and trigger repeated blinking. Watering is the eye’s natural attempt to wash the surface, but rubbing can move the object or scratch the cornea. If the object is embedded, symptoms may continue even when you cannot see anything. Light sensitivity can also follow a surface scratch after the object has left, so ongoing discomfort deserves attention.

Wash your hands, remove contact lenses and let tears flow naturally. Rinse the eye gently with clean lukewarm water or sterile saline while blinking. Do not rub, use tweezers, or scrape the eye. Avoid trying to remove anything that appears stuck on the coloured part of the eye. Protect the eye from further dust and bright light, and arrange an examination if rinsing does not relieve the gritty feeling. Do not wear contact lenses again until the eye is comfortable and cleared by a professional.

Seek urgent eye care after a high-speed impact, metal or glass exposure, chemical splash, penetrating injury or object that cannot be rinsed away. Prompt assessment is also needed for reduced vision, severe pain, increasing redness, pus, marked swelling or light sensitivity that persists. After a chemical splash, rinse continuously with clean water while arranging emergency help. Do not delay care to search for the object or cover the eye tightly.

Could the surface of my eye be scratched? Was the object fully removed? Do I need an examination with magnification or prescribed drops? When is it safe to use contact lenses, eye makeup or return to dusty work?