Eye Protection

I’ve recently seen a number of patients who have had foreign bodies in their eyes. A foreign body is exactly what it sounds like–any object that is not really supposed to be in one’s eye that ends up there. Even the smallest of foreign bodies can cause a lot of irritation, and often they are not found because they are “hiding” (e.g. under the eyelid) or because the discomfort seems to be located in an area that is not the part of the eye where the foreign body is ultimately found.

Many of these patients have had more than one foreign body. When a person has had more than one foreign body despite the use of eye protection, there are certainly two changes to think about making.

#1 – If you are using eye protection that seems to allow foreign bodies into the eye despite its use, it is probably not sufficient. You need to upgrade your eye protection. This can sometimes start with using tight fitting goggles with a strap.

#2 – Oftentimes, people are using eye protection and get foreign bodies in their eyes despite it, but in reality, they are not using eye protection 100% of the time. That eye protection should stay on at all times while the user is anywhere near the work environment. This situation can be described as acquiring ocular foreign bodies despite “using” eye protection.