Piece of hair imbed in her cornea

  • Thread starter Stevedye56
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Hair
In summary: Sorry to hear about that, Nick. I've never heard of that happening before. Generally, if something gets embedded in the eye, it's because it's coming from outside the eye. In that case, the doctor would likely remove the object using a tool like a scalpel. If the object is in the eye itself, surgery may be required to remove it. I hope she is feeling better soon.Sorry to hear about that, Nick. I've never heard of that happening before. Generally, if something gets embedded in the eye, it's because it's coming from outside the eye. In that case, the doctor would likely remove the object using a tool like a scalpel.
  • #1
Stevedye56
402
0
I just got a call from my mother at the optomitrest. Apparently my sister has a piece of hair imbed in her cornea. I am just curious if anyone knows how bad this is. Shes going to the hospital because they couldn't get it out at the Eye doctors...

Im getting a little nervous...:frown:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Don't worry. An optometrist is trained to recognize medical problems, but is not qualified to do surgery on the eye. For that you need an ophthalmologist. The transfer between disciplines is normal procedure. I used to work for a large ophthalmic practice, and routinely made up power-point presentations of eye conditions (some quite stomach-churning) and burned them to slides so that the ophthalmologists could present them at optometrists' conventions. For reference, an optician (I am a board-certified optician) is qualified to make eyeglasses for you based on the prescription of an optometrist or ophthalmologist. An optometrist is qualified to evaluate defects in your vision, prescribe eyeglasses and contacts, and often to fit contacts. An ophthalmologist does many of the same things that an optometrist does, but usually specializes in surgical procedures that may encompass retinal procedures, lens replacement (a common response to cataracts), reconstruction, plastic surgery of the occipital region, enucleation, etc. So don't panic unless the ophthalmologist has some difficulty with the procedure. Chances are, she'll be fine.
 
Last edited:
  • #3
turbo-1 said:
Don't worry. An optometrist is trained to recognize medical problems, but is not qualified to do surgery on the eye. For that you need an ophthalmologist. The transfer between disciplines is normal procedure.

I just got a call and they were of to a surgen. I am gussing it would be laser surgery? I can't really think of what else it could be unless they burned it out which i doubt.
 
  • #4
Stevedye56 said:
I just got a call and they were of to a surgen. I am gussing it would be laser surgery? I can't really think of what else it could be unless they burned it out which i doubt.
Nope, chances are that it will be a minimally-invasive surgical procedure under local anesthesia (perhaps as simple as extracting the hair and applying antibiotic drops.) The cornea is delicate and quite sensitive to pain, so I expect that her eye will be patched for a bit, perhaps with anesthetic drops to apply for a few days. Try not to worry too much. Good luck.
 
  • #5
turbo-1 said:
Nope, chances are that it will be a minimally-invasive surgical procedure under local anesthesia (perhaps as simple as extracting the hair and applying antibiotic drops.) The cornea is delicate and quite sensitive to pain, so I expect that her eye will be patched for a bit, perhaps with anesthetic drops to apply for a few days. Try not to worry too much. Good luck.

Thanks, ill try.
 
  • #6
Sorry to hear about this, Steve. Hope all goes well. Chances are high that Turbo is right on the money here.

So homework is still due on Monday.

:biggrin:
 
  • #7
I agree that turbo is likely correct that it's something fairly routine. Mostly, dealing with objects embedded in the cornea or that have scratched the cornea is very uncomfortable for the patient (imagine how it would be to feel like you had something irritating your eye continuously for days), but don't have long-term consequences. It's hard to imagine that a hair would be embedded very deep anyway.
 
  • #8
I guess what happened is on the way over it fell out because she was crying (quite understandibly). The doctor examined her and said that it fell out over but it was very very close to being covered over (whatever that may mean?) I am thinking its something along of how a pearl is made from a grain of sand. Good news is she's fine but has a few perscriptions to take

<sigh of relief>

Thanks for the responses

-Steve
 
  • #9
crap double post...
 
  • #10
I have never heard of hair becoming embedded in the cornea. I have myself experience an eyelash (small hair) on the cornea which then irritated the soft membrane of the eye socket - very painful. Normally the procedure is to pull the eyelid (tissue) away from the eye and retrieve the eyelash. One does have to be careful near the eye. I have also retrieved eyelashes from my cornea using a wetted cotton swab - again being careful to just touch the eyelash and not scratch the cornea.

Pleased to hear that the matter is resolved.

I once got a particle of hot slag embedded in my eye, while using a cutting torch. Even though I was wearing safety googles, the particle flew underneat the lens. Fortunately it was in the outside corner, and not over the iris.
 
  • #11
Was she wearing contacts or something that the hair got trapped to get it into the cornea? Or was it possibly a fiber of something else? It's a bit hard to imagine a scenario that would lead to a single hair actually becoming embedded in the cornea and not just being flushed away quickly with tears. But, whatever the case, it sounds like it all turned out okay, and that's always good to hear.
 
  • #12
Stevedye56 said:
I guess what happened is on the way over it fell out because she was crying (quite understandibly). The doctor examined her and said that it fell out over but it was very very close to being covered over (whatever that may mean?) I am thinking its something along of how a pearl is made from a grain of sand. Good news is she's fine but has a few perscriptions to take

<sigh of relief>

Thanks for the responses

-Steve
Glad to hear that it's resolved. Generally cornea scratches are quite painful, even if the damage is minor. The important thing now is to make certain that no infection sets in while the healing takes place.
 
  • #13
turbo-1 said:
Glad to hear that it's resolved. Generally cornea scratches are quite painful, even if the damage is minor. The important thing now is to make certain that no infection sets in while the healing takes place.

Yeah, she has to take drops 8 times a day in that eye for one week and then it should be fine.
 
  • #14
Make sure that she follows that schedule to the letter. It sounds like a PITA, but vision is precious and our eyes are in a warm moist environment that some micro-organisms can thrive in. With saline tears and a natural film of oil, our eyes are pretty well-protected, but the antibiotic drops are a really good idea. I'm glad things came out well.
 
Last edited:
  • #15
I still am curious to know how it actually got in there though. I guess its something ill never know. Its just a wierd, wierd, thing to have happened.
 
  • #16
Stevedye56 said:
I still am curious to know how it actually got in there though. I guess its something ill never know. Its just a wierd, wierd, thing to have happened.
I wish that I had saved copies of the digital images that I burned to slides for these doctors. Nowadays, CDs and DVDs could have stored a lot of them but I did not have personal storage space for them at the time. Some of the most disturbing images involved rhabdomyosarcoma, in which a very nasty cancer of connective tissues attacked (often) young patients, and left them with very short lives even after the most aggressive treatments that you could imagine. Routinely, enucleation (removal of the entire effected eye) was the preferred option and back then, survival spans of 6 months or so were considered optimistic.

It's much nicer to deal with matters of physical damage. After I had a medication-induced stroke a few years back, my neurologist was explaining to me the extent of the brain-stem injury. I noticed that one lens of her rimless glasses was chipped and commented on it. She said that she was very busy and hadn't found the time to get the lens replaced. I asked if she participated in any energetic activities and she said that she kept horses and rode every chance that she got. That is the WORST time to expect eyeglasses (especially chipped ones!) to protect your eyes, and I lectured her for quite a while to convince her to get that lens replaced. After glass lenses are figured and edged, they are heat-treated to anneal them and reduce their internal stresses. After plastic or polycarbonate lenses are figured and edged, they undergo NO tempering. The polycarbonate lenses are able to hold together under severe impact, but the standard plastic lenses can shatter just as badly as glass.

If you have a kid, pay a little extra for polycarbonate lenses. Please.
 
  • #17
Wow that's really interesting sounds like you'd be just waiting for an accident like driving with a chipped windshield.
 
  • #18
Stevedye56 said:
Wow that's really interesting sounds like you'd be just waiting for an accident like driving with a chipped windshield.
Exactly! The damage may look superficial, but the potential for catastrophic failure is high.
 
  • #19
turbo-1 said:
Exactly! The damage may look superficial, but the potential for catastrophic failure is high.

Sounds kind of like the base jumping thread:rofl:
 

1. What is a "piece of hair imbed in her cornea"?

A "piece of hair imbed in her cornea" refers to a small strand of hair that has become lodged or embedded in the clear, outer layer of the eye known as the cornea. This can cause discomfort and potentially lead to further eye issues if not addressed.

2. How does a piece of hair become imbedded in the cornea?

A piece of hair can become imbedded in the cornea through various means, such as rubbing your eyes with dirty hands or accidentally getting hair in your eye while grooming or styling your hair. It can also occur during activities where small particles may come in contact with the eye, such as swimming or playing sports.

3. What are the symptoms of a piece of hair imbedded in the cornea?

Symptoms of a piece of hair imbedded in the cornea may include eye irritation, redness, tearing, and a feeling of something being stuck in the eye. In some cases, it may cause blurry vision or sensitivity to light.

4. How is a piece of hair imbedded in the cornea treated?

The treatment for a piece of hair imbedded in the cornea typically involves removing the hair carefully with sterile tools or flushing it out with saline solution. In some cases, an eye doctor may prescribe eye drops or ointments to help with any discomfort or prevent infection.

5. Can a piece of hair imbedded in the cornea cause permanent damage?

In most cases, a piece of hair imbedded in the cornea can be safely removed without causing any permanent damage. However, if left untreated, it could potentially lead to corneal abrasions, infections, or scarring, which may affect vision. It is important to seek medical attention if you suspect a piece of hair has become imbedded in your cornea.

Similar threads

  • General Discussion
Replies
6
Views
802
  • General Discussion
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • General Discussion
Replies
5
Views
895
Replies
12
Views
1K
Replies
23
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
653
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
604
  • General Discussion
Replies
28
Views
4K
  • General Discussion
Replies
1
Views
916
  • General Discussion
2
Replies
51
Views
7K
Back
Top