Late fall in Thousand Oaks brings some of the best hiking weather of the year, and some of the windiest days. On the trails at Wildwood Regional Park, a gust can whip dust, dry grass or a tiny twig straight into your eye. Here is what to do, and what not to do.
Your eye’s own defense
MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s consumer health site, notes that the eye will often flush out small objects like eyelashes and sand on its own through blinking and tearing. Give it a moment before you do anything else.
Do not rub
MedlinePlus is clear: do not rub the eye if something is in it. Rubbing can drag a particle across the cornea and scratch it.
If it does not come out
- Wash your hands, then look at the eye in good light. Look up and down, then side to side.
- If the object is on the white of the eye or on the inside of an eyelid, gently rinse with clean water or eye drops. MedlinePlus describes gently pulling the lower lid down to look inside it.
- If the speck is on the colored part of the eye, do not try to remove it yourself.
- A scratchy feeling can linger for a day or two after a tiny particle is removed. If discomfort or blurred vision continues, get medical help.
When to get care instead of treating it yourself
MedlinePlus advises contacting a health care provider if you have:
- a lot of eye pain or sensitivity to light
- decreased vision
- red or painful eyes
- flaking, discharge or a sore on the eye or eyelid
- trauma to the eye, a bulging eye or a drooping eyelid
And if you were hammering, grinding or could have been hit by metal fragments, do not attempt removal. Go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Trail habits that help
- Wear wraparound sunglasses on windy days.
- Carry a small bottle of sterile saline or artificial tears in your pack.
- Contact lens wearers: carry your case and glasses in case you need to remove a lens.
If a scratchy eye has not settled after a day, we see patients from across the Conejo Valley at our Westlake Village office.
Most trail specks wash out in seconds. The ones that do not, and the ones that hurt, deserve a proper look.
Source: Eye – foreign object in (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (U.S. National Library of Medicine)). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.