Removal of Foreign Objects at Our Sandy Springs Optometry Center
"There's something in my eye" may not sound like a critical situation -- but when it's actually happening to you, it's hard to imagine a more disabling and distracting affliction. A foreign body in the eye can cause everything from redness and itchiness to serious eye damage and infection; professional care to remove it is therefore necessary, not only for your comfort but also for your ocular health. So you'll be relieved to know that our Sandy Srpings optometry center offers removal of foreign objects among our many other eye care services.
What Foreign Objects Can Do to Your Eyes
Any solid object that infiltrates the eye is a potential source of discomfort and harm. In the case ordinary dust specks or dried mucous debris, your tear ducts may be able to produce enough water to wash the offending object out. But sometimes a foreign object will stick to the cornea, the sclera or the conjunctiva lining the inner surface of the eyelid, resisting the efforts of your tear glands to remove it. This produces symptoms such as pain or pressure, a reddening of the white of the eye, constant eye watering, a gritty feeling every time you blink, increased light sensitivity and vision problems.
But foreign objects that remain in the eye can do more than just irritate you. Serious inflammation may occur, while the corneal surface may become scratched and scarred, possibly causing long-term or permanent vision problems. Intraocular foreign objects are an even more serious matter. An object that has has been blown or propelled hard enough to penetrate the eye can lead to intraocular infections, bleeding and discharge of the eye's internal fluid.
Our Sandy Optometrist Can Remove the Source of Irritation
Our Sandy Springs optometrist at Eye 1st Vision Center, Dr. Shida, can provide expert assistance to treat your foreign object emergency, starting with a careful examination of the eye's surface. Flipping the eyelid can reveal any foreign bodies stuck to the inner surface. We can then try washing the foreign object away with water, wiping gently as needed. If the foreign body seems genuinely stuck, we can numb the eye and then use fine, specialized tools to get ahold of the object and carefully take it out.
Please not that not all foreign objects can be removed safely in this manner. If you've had a glass shard or metal filing penetrate your eye, for example, we may refer you for eye surgery and provide supportive evaluations and other care as needed. If your eye appears infected or the cornea injured, we may also give you antibiotics to clear the problem up.
Ask Our Optometry Center for Help!
Don't allow a stubborn foreign object to cause you intolerable pain and possibly leave you with an injured eye. Call our optometry center at (404) 252-1702 today to get the professional help and advice your eye desperately needs!