NCLEX Review Guide: Foreign Bodies in the Eye

Signs and Symptoms

• Pain and foreign body sensation - Patient reports feeling like "something is in my eye" with varying degrees of discomfort
• Excessive tearing (lacrimation) - Natural protective response to flush out the foreign object
• Photophobia and blurred vision - Light sensitivity occurs due to corneal irritation and reflex muscle spasm
• Conjunctival injection and redness - Blood vessel dilation from inflammatory response to irritation

Classification

Immediate Care

1. Prevent further injury - Instruct patient not to rub or touch the affected eye
2. Assess visual acuity - Use Snellen chart or finger counting to establish baseline
3. Inspect the eye systematically - Check conjunctiva, cornea, and under eyelids using good lighting
4. Remove superficial objects safely - Use sterile saline irrigation or cotton-tipped applicator

Proper Irrigation Method

1. Position patient - Supine or sitting with head tilted toward affected side
2. Use sterile normal saline - Room temperature, never use tap water for eye irrigation
3. Direct flow properly - From inner canthus toward outer canthus, avoiding direct pressure on eyeball
4. Continue until clear - Irrigate until no particles visible and patient reports comfort