After foreign body removal: caring for your eye
15 October, 2026 | 2:00 PMYour eye may feel scratchy or sore for a day or two while the surface heals. Use any drops exactly as your optometrist advised, and keep your hands away from your eye. Call us straight away if the pain or your vision gets worse.
Looking for what to do before your visit? See foreign body removal.
What to expect
- The numbing drops wear off within about half an hour. Your eye may then feel gritty or sore.
- Watering, mild redness and light sensitivity are common for a day or two.
- Your vision may be slightly blurry for a short time.
The front surface of the eye usually heals quickly. Most small scratches settle within one to three days.
Caring for your eye at home
- Leave your eye alone while it is numb. Rubbing a numb eye can scratch it without you feeling it.
- Use your drops as directed. If you were given antibiotic drops, use them for the full time your optometrist said, even once your eye feels better.
- If you have a patch, keep it on for as long as you were told. Most eyes heal well without a patch. Avoid driving with a patch on, as judging distance with one eye is harder.
- Rest your eye. Sunglasses can help if light feels uncomfortable.
- Wash your hands before touching your face or using eye drops.
Do and don't
Do
- Use drops exactly as directed
- Wear sunglasses if light is uncomfortable
- Come to your follow-up visit if one is booked
- Wear safety glasses for grinding, drilling and cutting
Don’t
- Rub your eye
- Wear contact lenses until your optometrist says it is fine
- Use old or someone else's eye drops
- Use eye makeup for a few days
Sometimes a small rust mark is left after metal is removed. It needs to come out too. Your optometrist will remove it, either on the day or at a follow-up visit.
Most metal and dust injuries happen during work or DIY. Safety glasses that meet Australian Standards help protect your eyes. Ask us about workplace safety glasses.
When to call us on (03) 9702 9118
Call the same day if you have:
- Pain that is getting worse, or still strong after 24 hours
- Vision that is getting worse
- Increasing redness or light sensitivity
- A yellow or green discharge
- A white spot on the coloured part of your eye
- The feeling that something is still in your eye after the first day
Go now to the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital emergency department (32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, open 24 hours), or call 000, if:
- The injury involved high-speed metal, such as hammering or grinding, and your eye is painful or your vision is blurry
- Your eye has had a chemical splash. Rinse it under cool running water for 15 to 20 minutes first
- You have sudden loss of vision or severe pain
- Your pupil looks an odd shape, or there is a cut on the eye
If you have concerns about your eye, book online or call us on (03) 9702 9118.
FAQs
How long will my eye feel sore after a foreign body is removed?
Most people feel better within one to three days. Call us if the pain is getting worse or lasts longer than you were told to expect.
Can I drive after foreign body removal?
Avoid driving if you have a patch on or your vision is blurry. Your optometrist will advise on the day.
When can I wear contact lenses again?
Wait until your optometrist says your eye has healed. Wearing lenses too soon can raise the risk of infection.
Why do I need to come back?
A follow-up visit lets your optometrist check that the eye is healing well, with no rust mark or infection left behind.
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