How to Remove Something from Your Eye

Co-authored by Dan Hickey Medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Last Updated: December 9, 2024 Fact Checked

Having something lodged in your eye is never pleasant, regardless of the size or origin of the debris. If you have a small speck of grit or something similar in your eye, you can remove it naturally by blinking rapidly. If that doesn’t work, flush your eye or use a clean cotton swab to attempt removing it. Never rub your eye in an attempt to remove something from it.^{[1]
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Go to source} If you have something in your eye that causes severe irritation, don’t attempt to remove it yourself, as you may cause further irritation or damage.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Something on Your Own

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Blink your eyes rapidly. When you get dust, hair, or another small foreign body stuck in your eye, your body’s natural response is to blink. Blinking rapidly may help move the debris and allow any tears that may form to clear it out. The more you blink and get yourself to tear up, the better chance you have of removing the particle.^{[2]
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- To blink, rapidly open and close your eyes.
- Although you may feel silly, the tears may naturally wash out the debris.
- If you cannot focus enough to get yourself to fake cry, then you can also try yawning to produce tears.
If you’re attempting to remove a small speck stuck beneath your eyelid, close the affected eye and gently pinch the skin of your upper eyelid. Pull the upper eyelid down slightly over the lower one. Roll your affected eye around in its socket. With luck, this motion (and the lashes from your lower lid) will loosen and dislodge something in your eye.^{[3]
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It is instinctual to rub your eye when something has gotten into it, but this can actually be quite dangerous.^{[4]
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Go to source} If you rub your eye, the trapped particle might be pushed beneath your eyelid, puncture your eye, or scratch your cornea (known as corneal abrasion).^{[5]
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Go to source} If this occurs, you could suffer permanent eye damage, up to and including blindness, along with a lot of pain. Therefore, do not apply pressure or rub your eyes when removing something from your eye.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Something With Assistance

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Wash the eye with an eye wash solution. Commercially available eye wash solutions are useful for dislodging something from your eye. Eye wash solutions differ in their application process. Some use indirect application by filling a small eye cup with solution, then covering your eye with the eye cup and tilting your head back. Other solutions use a direct method, in which you tilt your head back, then drip or squirt solution directly from the bottle into your eye.^{[6]
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- Always wash your hands before administering eye wash drops.
EXPERT TIP

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse

Sarah Gehrke, a Registered Nurse, recommends: If you work with chemicals or irritants, be sure to understand how to use your emergency eyewash station before an injury occurs.
2
Rinse your eyes with clean water. If you have an eye cup (used for rinsing eyes), use that to wash out your eyes with cool, clean water. Otherwise, use a small bowl or cup full of water and splash the water into your open eye. You can also place your open eye under a gently-pouring faucet or shower to rinse it out.^{[7]
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- Make sure to use cool water (not hot) and a gentle stream so you don’t injure your eye further. Rinse your eye for about 20 minutes for dirt and debris or chemicals.
Gently pinch your upper eyelid and lift it up slightly from the eye. Slip the cotton swab or corner of a clean cloth gently behind the eyelid and slowly roll your eye toward the back of your head. Remove the swab or cloth and check to see if you still feel something in your eye. If you’re unsure, which may occur if your eye is still red or irritated after the removal of the object, you could also check the surface of the cotton swab or cloth for something foreign.^{[8]
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4
Use a moist cotton swab or corner of a clean cloth to remove the object. If you can still feel something in your eye after rinsing your eye with eye wash solution and/or water, use a cotton swab or clean cloth moistened with eye wash solution or clean water to get it out. Always wipe in a gentle up or down motion, and never swipe across the eye.^{[9]
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- To protect your cornea, look in the direction opposite the place where something is lodged in your eye. For instance, if something is in the right side of your eye, look toward the left.
- Check the cotton swab or cloth after each attempt at removal. If your cotton swab or cloth was white, you should be able to see the object on the cotton swab or cloth after it’s been removed.
- Rinse your eye once more with solution or clean water afterward.
5
Have a friend help you. If you’re having difficulty getting the particle out of your eye and can’t see it in a mirror, turn to a friend for help. Hold your eyelids open and allow your friend to check for the presence of something. Move your eye around so your friend can see its entire surface.^{[10]
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- If you are comfortable with it, you may want to have them use a cotton swab to dab the offending object out of your eye. Alternatively, you may invite them to administer eye drops or a cup of water to flush the eye.
- If you’re the helper, you can use 2 clean fingers to gently hold the person’s eye open. Have them carefully tilt their head side to side to help you see. Always ask for permission to help before touching somebody’s face or eye area.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Large/Dangerous Objects

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Identify symptoms indicating you need medical care. If your eye is irritated by anything larger than a small speck, you may need a doctor to help you remove it. If the item is very large or has punctured the eye to the point of bleeding and severe pain, this is a virtual guarantee you will need medical assistance. Pain is the most obvious sign that something in your eye is more than a mild irritant, though sometimes something in your eye can cause serious damage even in the absence of pain. Other symptoms to watch for include visible changes to the color of the eye, bleeding, abnormal, blurred, or absent vision, or discharge from the eye.^{[11]
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- Other symptoms that require medical intervention include headaches, sensitivity to light, feeling ill, blood or pus coming from the eye, and the inability to move the eye or keep it open.^{[12]
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- If you cannot dislodge the foreign body from your eye, you should also consider this cause to see a medical professional.
Once you’ve identified something in your eye as a serious issue, contact a doctor and do not attempt to remedy the situation yourself.^{[13]
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Go to source} Larger foreign bodies, like shards of glass, butter knives, or nails, must be removed by a doctor or medical professional. If the item is stuck inside of the eye, minor surgery may be required to remove it. Otherwise, the doctor may numb your eye and pull out the object, giving you an eye patch to protect it afterwards as it heals. You may also be given antibiotics.^{[14]
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Do not attempt to remove objects embedded in the eye. If you have a shard of glass, butter knife, or something else that has punctured your eye, avoid attempts to remove it yourself. You will most likely do even more damage in your attempt at removal. Instead, get to a doctor for proper, safe medical aid.^{[15]
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- Carefully cover the eye with an eye patch until you see a doctor.

Expert Q&A

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Question

I feel something in my eye, but when ever I try opening my eye it hurts. What should I do?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

It is possible it may have scratched your cornea, based on the pain you are describing. If you have attempted to perform the methods above without relief, please seek medical attention in case you have an injury to your eye

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Question

Tap water stings my eyes. Why is that?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

Water does not have the same lubrication as tear fluid. When you splash tap-water into your eyes, you are permitting the unlubricated skin and eyeball surfaces to rub together.

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Question

I think mascara went in the back of my eye, I've tried everything and it hurts a little bit, but my eyes are watering a lot. What should I do?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

Mascara can be irritating to the eye. A lot of the time mascara comes off the eyelash in several time specs. The best method is likely the rinse method since there can be more than one spec of mascara. Attempt the methods above, if nothing is helping and redness or irritation persist, please see your doctor for a quick evaluation.

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Tips

Wash your hands before placing them near your eye or eyelid to prevent infection or further irritation. If you have a friend helping you, insist that they do likewise.^{[16]
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Make sure you use clean water to flush something from your eye.

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Never poke or touch your pupils with your fingers.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you have a particle of dust in your eye, have a friend or loved one help pull your top eyelid up and flick it back. Then get them to blow on your eye if they see something.
When using a wet paper towel or napkin, be sure to dab it onto your eye. Do not rub.
Avoid rubbing your eyes as this may make it worse.

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Warnings

Never use tweezers or any other grabbing tool to get whatever is in your eye out. You could easily hurt your eye or make it worse.

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