Eyewinker
Such an annoying nuisance as a mote in the eye can cause serious discomfort and even ruin your eyesight if you do not see a doctor in time. Let’s tell you if folk methods of extracting motes work, and when you can’t do without the help of an ophthalmologist

As the popular Russian proverb says, you see a speck in someone else’s eye, but you don’t notice a log in your own. But as practice shows, even the smallest speck or grain of sand that gets into the eye can cause irritation, redness and inflammation, and profuse lacrimation. Experts advise: you do not need to rub your eye, otherwise the mote can clog deep under the eyelid, and if it is not urgently removed, vision can seriously deteriorate.

– It’s one thing if a speck of dust, a midge or an eyelash gets into the eye – they can be removed without any special consequences. If you are engaged, for example, in construction without goggles, a piece of glass, metal or wood shavings can get into your eye. If the foreign body has sharp edges, there is a risk that while rubbing the eye, you can damage the cornea or sclera. And this, in the worst case scenario, can lead to loss of vision,” says ophthalmologist Dinar Khakimov. – If particles of earth or sand get into the eye, then microorganisms during friction can penetrate into the tissues of the eye and cause inflammation or suppuration.

What to do if a mote gets into the eye

So, what to do if a speck gets into the eye. First of all, you need to calm down and not rub your eyes, but to conduct an examination. This should be done with cleanly washed hands with soap, in front of a mirror and in good light, but it is better to entrust the inspection to someone who is nearby.

If the mote could not be found on the visible part of the eye, it may be under the eyelid. To do this, the eyelid must be gently pulled back and looked there. It is important to understand whether the mote is on the surface of the eye or stuck inside. If it moves freely when blinking, it means that the eye is not injured, and you can get the mote on your own without resorting to medical help. But if you experience a sharp pain, and instead of a harmless eyelash or fluff, a piece of glass, metal shavings or a chemical gets into your eye, it is better to immediately contact an emergency room or an ophthalmologist or call an ambulance.

How to get a speck out of your eye at home

To get a mote out of your eye at home, first try blinking frequently and intensely. Then the mote can come out on its own, or a tear will wash it away. You can also try to perform gentle pressing movements from the middle of the eyelid to the inner corner of the eye.

Use eye drops (preferably with an antiseptic effect) – Albucin, Vizin, or a decoction of chamomile, and just boiled clean water. Bury them in the damaged eye or try to rinse it.

If the mote is clogged under the lower eyelid, then you will need clean water, a gauze pad (or a piece of clean cotton cloth) or a cotton swab to remove it. We wash our hands thoroughly, moisten a piece of cloth or a cotton swab with water, try to push the eyelids apart as much as possible with one hand, and gently blot the mote with the other. If a foreign body has clogged under the upper eyelid, you will have to ask someone for help, because it is very difficult to simultaneously twist the eyelid and pull out the mote.

To correctly turn the eyelid for examination, tilt your head back, look down, with one hand press on the middle of the eyelid, and with the other lift the edge of the eyelid up, turning it inside out. Do not overdo it and do not push too hard, so as not to injure yourself further.

If no one is around, you can try rinsing your eye with running water or pulling the upper eyelid over the lower – then there is a chance that the mote will fall down, and you can easily remove it yourself.

– At home, washing the eye will help to quickly and painlessly remove a small foreign body. To do this, make a bath of chamomile decoction or boiled water in a deep bowl, dip your face into the water and start blinking intensively. You can open the eyelid with your hand to make it easier for the mote to come out, the ophthalmologist advises.

Prevention of specks in the eye at home

To avoid trouble, during repairs, working with chemicals, and especially when doing carpentry and welding, you need to follow a few simple rules. Be sure to wear safety glasses, follow safety precautions, and never touch your face or rub your eyes with dirty hands. When going outside, with a strong wind or a cluster of small insects, also try to wear glasses (at least sunglasses).

Popular questions and answers

Is it possible to get a mote in folk ways?

One of the most common folk ways to extract a speck from the eye is to lick it, when the speck is gently groped and removed with the tip of the tongue. In principle, this option has the right to exist – but it can only be carried out between close relatives and only in case of emergency, because saliva contains a lot of pathogenic microbes, and you can easily get inflammation of the cornea.

Another popular folk method is removing metal chips from the eye with a magnet, this can be dangerous because such chips can easily damage the cornea and sclera.

– Our people are inventive, so sometimes you can’t predict what the patient was doing before the appointment with the ophthalmologist, after getting a speck in the eye. But I, as an ophthalmologist, would not advise people to neglect visiting emergency ophthalmic care rooms in such situations, says Dinar Khakimov.

But after removing the mote from the eye, traditional medicine is very useful. For example, to relieve irritation and redness, you can apply a cotton swab dipped in strong tea, infusion of calendula or chamomile, or just a slice of fresh cucumber.

When should you see a doctor for mote in the eye?

If metal and wood shavings get into the eye, a chemical burn occurs, a foreign body is deeply embedded and cannot be removed in any way, you experience a sharp pain or burning sensation, consult a doctor immediately, otherwise serious consequences cannot be avoided. It is also necessary to see a specialist if, after removing a foreign body, pain, redness, tearing or a feeling of sand in the eyes persists for several days

What can not be done if a speck gets into the eye?

It is strictly forbidden to pull it out with sharp objects, touch and rub the eye with dirty hands, try to remove it yourself in case of severe pain or damage to the eye. Better see a doctor.

What are the complications of mote in the eye?

– In case of untimely access to a doctor or serious damage to the eye, very serious complications can occur: conjunctivitis, corneal erosion, penetration of foreign bodies into the cornea itself, inflammation of the anterior segment of the eyes. Rarely, but there is inflammation of the entire eye – panophthalmitis, the treatment of which requires special attention and time. Needless to say, all this can contribute to the deterioration of vision, says ophthalmologist Dinar Khakimov.

Do I need to treat the eye after removing the mote?

Usually no further treatment is needed, you can use an eye antiseptic like Albumicid or eye drops that relieve tension and inflammation like Vizin. Make lotions from chamomile decoction or black tea and get a good night’s sleep.

What to do if the eye is swollen and watery for several days after removing the mote?

Immediately seek the advice of an ophthalmologist to avoid the above complications.

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