Go by feel first
When a foreign object hits the mucous membrane, the body’s protective function turns on, and the eye becomes very watery. The person begins to blink quickly, the eyelash comes out with a tear and the eye clears. However, things don't always happen this way.
If a loved one comes to you with the phrase: “I got an eyelash in my eye, I can’t get it out,” or you yourself find yourself in a similar situation, do not rush to use your hands. First of all, wash them with soap or wipe them with wet wipes so as not to introduce an infection into the irritated eye.
Based on your sensations, try to determine where the stimulus is located. Then, using your finger, try to push the eyelash from the outer corner of the eye towards the nose. It may not work the first time, so repeat the manipulation 2-4 times. Once you achieve the desired result, grab the eyelash with your fingertip and remove it from the eye.
If there is a mirror and a scarf nearby
If the previous steps did not help, use another method to remove an eyelash from your eye. To do this you will need a handkerchief or paper napkin and a mirror.
Run your finger along the lower or upper edge of the eyelid, try to push the eyelash forward a little. As soon as it becomes noticeable, try to pry it off with the edge of the scarf. The foreign object should stick to the napkin.
If you wear lenses, there is a high probability that an eyelash will stick to them. In this case, there is nothing left to do but remove the lens, rinse it with a special solution and put it back into the eye.
If the eyelash is located in the center of the eyeball
There are cases when an eyelash does not fall under the upper or lower eyelid, but lingers on the pupil or in the center of the eyeball. This situation causes very unpleasant sensations and requires the right actions.
If you immediately try to reach the foreign object with your fingers, most likely the eyelash will fall even deeper. How to remove an eyelash from an eye correctly? Proceed as follows:
- Close your eyes.
- Begin to gently massage the eyelid, moving horizontal lines from the outer corner of the eye to the inner.
- When the eyelash is near the outer corner of the eye (at this moment the feeling of discomfort will decrease), remove it using a napkin or scarf folded several times.
When performing such actions, you should not massage the eyelid in a circular motion. Otherwise, the object will begin to rotate around the eyeball and will be difficult to reach.
Is it dangerous for eyelashes to get into the eye?
Hair tends to fall out. Sometimes the eyelashes lie on the cheeks, but there are times when they penetrate the eyelid, causing discomfort. Hair begins to fall out a lot when using dye. Any foreign object causes cutting pain, irritation, and redness. An eyelash in the eye awakens tears, a desire to blink more often, and with prolonged contact - redness of the mucous membrane, irritation of nerve endings.
The danger of contact is possible damage to the eyeball. If a violation of the cornea occurs, vision may deteriorate, since the cornea is a natural membrane, the integrity of which should not be compromised.
A minor defect will lead to a loss of transparency and the appearance of a cloudy spot on the pupil.
Often women resort to extension procedures. It looks impressive, the eyes gain expressiveness and additional volume. If the work is done poorly, the eyelashes will quickly fall out and get stuck under the upper or lower eyelid. Artificial hair is rougher than natural hair and causes severe damage if ingested.
Thanks to the reflex, a protective mechanism is triggered, causing tears, blinking, and squinting, without always eliminating the foreign body. In some cases, intervention cannot be avoided.
What to do when the eyelash is under the upper eyelid?
If a foreign object is located under the upper eyelid, it is quite difficult to remove it. In such a situation, you should try to change its location. Try blinking a little, in most cases this helps to move the eyelash down.
If the previous method did not help, start doing massage. Close your eyes and run your finger across your eyelid. Make 5-6 movements and evaluate the result. If the eyelash does not move, use a radical method - rinsing.
Before removing the eyelash from the eye, take a small container (for example, a glass) and pour boiling water over it. Turn the disinfected item upside down and leave to dry. Then fill a container with a small amount of cooled boiled water or saline solution. You can also use a special liquid to store and disinfect contact lenses.
Now place the container on your eye, tilt your head back and carefully begin pouring liquid under your eyelid and blink at the same time. This method perfectly removes any foreign objects from both under the lower and upper eyelids.
How to properly remove an eyelash?
If an eyelash gets into an infant's eye, the mother's actions must be very careful and timely, since irritation of the organ of vision and damage to the cornea may occur. It is important to know how to remove hair in any conditions so as not to harm the baby’s eyes and solve the problem.
Basic Rules:
- If there is an eyelash or lint in a newborn's eye, the baby needs to be swaddled so that his hands do not rub the visual organ. When rubbing the eye with fingers or a fist, the baby can drive a foreign object even further and deeper under the eyelid. After this, it will be much more difficult to get the eyelash.
- You cannot remove the eyelash with tweezers or fingers. The correct way to do this is with a cotton swab or a clean handkerchief. Before pulling the eyelash out of the eye, you should wet this “tool” with water. This will help keep the smallest tissue fibers from getting onto the cornea and reduce the likelihood of damage to the irritated mucous membrane of the eyelid.
- If you cannot remove a speck or other object from your eye on your own, you should consult an ophthalmologist.
Napkin
This manipulation can be done using a napkin folded into a corner.
This method is often used. You can try to remove the hair using a paper napkin. You need to fold it so that you get a sharp corner. Run your finger along the eyelid to the inside of the child's eyelid and try to move the eyelash a little. When it becomes easier to reach it, pull off the skin of the eyelid with one hand, and with the other, point the corner of the napkin at the foreign body and try to catch it. The hair should stick. When this happens, slowly remove your hand.
Using the tongue
This is the most unusual and strange, but effective method of removing eyelashes from a baby’s eye. To help the baby, you need to lick his eye with your tongue. Removing a foreign object is done in this way: pull the baby’s lower or upper eyelid, respectively, down or up, so that the hair is better visible. When this happens, mom needs to grab it with the tip of her tongue, it should stick.
Cotton swab
The hair can be removed from the organ of vision using a cosmetic cotton swab.
Using this handy tool, you can easily remove an eyelash from a baby's eye. To better see the interfering object, it is advisable to turn the child’s face towards natural light, as the lint may go deeper and be more difficult to get out. Then carefully pull back the baby’s eyelid and bring a dry cotton swab to the eyelash. It should stick and you can remove it from the eye area.
Massage movements
Sometimes the eyelash remains not under the upper or lower eyelid, but on the mucous membrane. You should not try to remove it with your fingers to prevent it from moving deeper. When the infant closes his eyes, you need to use gentle horizontal massaging movements from the outer edge of his eyelid towards the bridge of his nose. You cannot perform circular movements, otherwise the eyelash will move deeper. When it is near the inner corner of the eye, it needs to be removed with the edge of a napkin or a cotton swab.
Rinse with water
A glass of water will be needed for the procedure of washing the organ.
When the eyelash is under the upper eyelid, it is much more difficult to reach. In this situation, you need to try to wash the baby's eye with water. You should take a clean glass, pour boiling water over it and turn it upside down. After the container has dried, pour boiled water at room temperature or saline into it. Then take the child in your arms so that his face is directed downward, and bring a glass of liquid to his affected organ of vision. We need him to blink in the water. Using this method, all foreign objects come out of the eye.
Using eye drops
When an eyelash hits the mucous membrane of the eye, it begins to water. After a while, the tears disappear, dryness occurs, and the foreign body still bothers the organ of vision. If the above methods do not help, you need to move on to radical measures. You need to purchase drops at the pharmacy that relieve eye fatigue, apply them to your baby, following the instructions, and wait for a while. When he opens his eyes, the eyelash should move either under the lower eyelid or onto the mucous membrane. Then remove the foreign body with a paper napkin.
If the foreign object is not visible and the previous methods did not help
If the eyelash is not visible in the eye, but you feel a burning sensation and discomfort, options with a scarf and napkin will not work. To remove the irritant from the eye, use drops from the pharmacy. You can purchase formulations to relieve eye fatigue.
To remove an eyelash from the eye (both extensions and natural ones), instill the drug according to the instructions. Wait a few seconds, open your eye. After such actions, the foreign object will change its location and end up either under the upper or lower eyelid. Now you can remove it from your eye using a tissue or your finger.
Expert advice
Do not attempt to remove a foreign object with the eye of a needle.
All methods described in the article are methods approved by doctors for removing eyelashes from the eye. However, there are some other expert tips that you need to heed:
- Do not attempt to remove a foreign object with the eye of a needle. This can cause injury to the eye.
- Rinsing with tap water is not the best solution, since in many cities its quality is not the best, and it can harm the eye. It is necessary to use only boiled water for rinsing.
- The first thing you need to do is pull yourself together and, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, do not rub your eyes with dirty hands. At home, you can try several previously described methods on how to remove an eyelash from under the upper eyelid. If they do not give results, be sure to consult a doctor.
- To relieve pain and moisturize the mucous membrane, you need to instill the drug “Artificial Tear”, purchased at the pharmacy.
On a note. You can remove an eyelash from your eye yourself. Just strictly follow the instructions provided and, if everything is done correctly, the eyelash will definitely come out without any problems.
If serious inflammatory processes begin, qualified medical assistance is required. In any case, you need to go for a check-up with an ophthalmologist.
How to remove an eyelash from a child's eye: general recommendations
Since babies often rub their eyes with their hands, situations with eyelashes on the eyeball are very common for them. If your child constantly rubs his eye and cries, do not rush to help him with your hands.
When it comes to babies, you should not poke your fingers into the little eye. Gently massage your child's eyelid from the outside of the eye to the bridge of the nose. After such an impact, the eyelash should appear in plain sight, after which you can remove it with a twisted piece of cotton wool.
If this recommendation does not help, look into how to remove an eyelash from a baby's eye using rinses. For this purpose, experts recommend using sodium chloride. It does not irritate the mucous membrane and helps relieve inflammation.
Take the drug in your hands, pull back the child’s eyelid and direct a stream of drops at him. In this case, it should flow from the temporal region to the nose. The medicine will wash out the eyelash, after which you can wipe the child’s eye with a cotton pad.
Removing an eyelash from a baby's eye
In newborns, thin and poorly adherent eyelashes often fall out and become trapped in the eye area, which can lead to great discomfort. To remove an eyelash from under the eyelid of a baby, you can use the following methods:
- If the eyelash is on the area of the pupil or white, you need to cover the child’s eye, then massage it horizontally from the outside, moving to the bottom, closer to the bridge of the nose.
- You can use sodium chloride solution. The procedure begins by laying the child on his side, after which, holding him, you should rinse the eye with the prepared solution, similar to a massage, moving from the outer part to the bridge of the nose, trying to push out the eyelash. This liquid is harmless, the child will not feel any particular discomfort or pain during the procedure.
- You can remove the eyelash using cotton wool, which is rolled into turundas, but in the absence of this material, you can use ordinary cotton swabs. The rolled cotton wool should be brought to the eyelash, moving the eyelid aside, and grab the foreign object with it. Before the procedure, it is advisable to remove excessively protruding villi from the cotton wool, as they may remain in the eye cavity.
On a note. To prevent pain for the baby and prevent inflammatory processes from developing too quickly, you can treat the eye with levomecithin drops.
If all else fails
Sometimes it happens that none of the listed methods has the desired effect. This indicates that the eyelash is located very deep or in the worst place. In such a situation, it is better to leave the eye alone and go to bed.
How to remove an eyelash from your eye in a dream? Very simple! During rest, the foreign object changes its location, making it easy to reach.
However, it may be that the eye is very irritated and it is simply impossible to sleep. In this case, seek help from specialists. They will perform a lavage and administer sedatives.
First steps if dirt gets into your eye
How to get a speck out of your eye? Every person asks this question at least once in his life. Moreover, which is typical, almost everyone makes typical common mistakes in this simple matter. The first automatic reaction of a person to the penetration of a foreign body into the cornea is an attempt to remove it mechanically.
To do this, a mirror is used, with the help of which a person tries to find and remove the cause of discomfort. As a rule, this does not help, and therefore, in order to “make life easier” for himself, he begins to intensively rub his eyes with his hands. As a result, the mucous membrane is injured, and the situation worsens.
So what should you do if a speck gets into your eye, and what measures are really useful to take?
- Before removing a miniature foreign body from the eye, you should make sure that it is really it. The fact is that the sensation of a speck in the eye is not always associated with its actual presence. Sometimes such a symptom is illusory and manifests itself in cases of eye problems.
- If you do not feel dirt in your eyes on the first day, you should urgently contact an ophthalmologist - otherwise, you risk the progression of a possible disease.
- You should also understand that there are objects that cannot be pulled out of the eye on your own. And if you can deal with sand, dust and particles of makeup on your own, then if more aggressive foreign bodies penetrate the cornea, you should also seek help from professionals. If you do not do this, there is a risk of severe damage to the mucous membrane, and even loss of vision. For example, if we are talking about metal or wood shavings.
- If a speck gets into the eye, the likelihood of it being eliminated on its own is very high - it is almost always washed off with tears. Therefore, you should only provoke their copious separation. To do this, you can blink a lot and often. If nothing happens, you should take more decisive and targeted actions. So how do you wash your eyes of debris?
Useful tips
Sometimes unpleasant feelings force people to act radically. In this case, the most extreme methods can be used. One of them is removing the eyelash with a needle. This method is very dangerous and ineffective. When using it, you will scratch the mucous membrane, but will not reach the eyelash.
If you managed to remove a foreign object, but the eye is very inflamed and red, this indicates dehydration of the mucous membrane. Buy any product at the pharmacy that helps moisturize your eyes. Artificial tears are best suited for this purpose. The drug will reduce pain and relieve swelling and redness.
It is not recommended to seek help from another person in such situations. With all your attempts to reach the eyelash, you will begin to blink more often, which can only worsen the situation. If the eyelash got caught in the gas recently, try washing your face with your eyes open. In some cases this may be quite sufficient.
Adherents of traditional methods of treatment recommend in such situations the use of rinsing with a decoction of green tea. You can soak a ball of cotton wool in the drink or rinse your eye directly from a tea bag. In this case, the temperature of the liquid should be room temperature.
Let's sum it up
A foreign object in gas is always a discomfort. However, despite the unpleasant sensations, you should not panic. Remember, incorrect attempts to help yourself can only cause harm. If you are trying to help a child, be even more careful. You must not allow infection to enter the eye, so do not let your baby touch the inflamed area with his hands.
There are two ways to remove an eyelash from an infant's eye (as well as an older child): massage and rinsing. It is not recommended to use ear sticks and scarves in this case.
Remember that you shouldn’t “torture” your eyes too much using various methods. The eyelid may become very swollen and the mucous membrane may become red. If several attempts are unsuccessful, leave the eye completely alone. Try to relax and fall asleep. Please note that if the eye is very irritated, it may hurt due to inflammation, and the eyelash itself has long fallen out unnoticed. If discomfort persists, consult a doctor. They will help you at the emergency room or at a regular clinic. When choosing a method for cleansing the eye, be guided by the main principle - do no harm!
