When to worry about light sensitivity with a foreign body in the eye

Dust, grit, an eyelash, or a small surface scratch can make the eye water, blink, feel gritty, and react to bright light. Symptoms should begin to settle after the irritant is removed. Continued sensitivity may mean the surface remains scratched or that material is trapped under an eyelid. Metal, glass, chemicals, and high-speed particles carry greater risk.

Wash your hands, remove contact lenses, and rinse the eye gently with clean lukewarm water or sterile saline. Blink several times and avoid rubbing, tweezers, cotton buds, or trying to lift an embedded object. Covering the eye tightly can worsen discomfort. If rinsing does not help, stop trying to remove it and arrange urgent assessment.

Seek emergency eye care for reduced vision, severe pain, marked light sensitivity, bleeding, an embedded object, or injury from grinding, drilling, or another fast-moving item. Rinse a chemical exposure continuously while arranging emergency help. Prompt review is also needed when redness, watering, or pain persists after the eye has been rinsed.

Ask whether the corneal surface is scratched, whether any material remains beneath the eyelid, and when it is safe to use lenses again. Describe what entered the eye, how fast it was moving, what rinsing you tried, and whether vision changed.