It's not uncommon for a speck of dirt or a small object, such as
an eyelash or makeup, to get in your eye. Usually your natural
tears will wash the object out. Objects may scratch the surface
of the eye (cornea) or may become stuck on the eye. If the
cornea is scratched, it can be hard to tell when you have gotten
the object out, because a scratched cornea may feel painful and
as though something is still in the eye. Most corneal scratches
are minor and heal on their own in 1 or 2 days. See a picture of
the eye. Small objects traveling at high speed or sharp objects
traveling at any speed can cause serious injury to many parts of
the eyeball. Injury may cause bleeding, a change in the size or
shape of the pupil, a film over the eye lens, or damage to the
inside of the eyeball. These objects may become embedded deep in
the eye and may require medical treatment. Objects in the eye
can be prevented by using protective eyewear. Wear safety
glasses, goggles, or face shields when working with power tools
or chemica