Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

ARTICLES
Year
: 1975  |  Volume : 23  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 25-

Self extraction of foreign body lodged in subtarsal sulcus (a simple first-aid measure)


DK Sen 
 Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India

Correspondence Address:
D K Sen
Department of Ophthalmology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi
India




How to cite this article:
Sen D K. Self extraction of foreign body lodged in subtarsal sulcus (a simple first-aid measure).Indian J Ophthalmol 1975;23:25-25


How to cite this URL:
Sen D K. Self extraction of foreign body lodged in subtarsal sulcus (a simple first-aid measure). Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 1975 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];23:25-25
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/text.asp?1975/23/2/25/31323


Full Text

On many occasions when the velocity of a flying particle is less it comes to lie on the exposed part of corneal or conjunctival surface and during reflex blinking it often gets caught in the subtarsal sulcus.

Foreign body lodged in the subtarsal sulcus continuously abrades the cornea on the move�ments of blinking and thereby causes symptoms which are more severe than those which are caused by impacted foreign body on the corneal surface; and so long as it is allowed to remain there acute irritative symptoms persist. The condition, therefore, needs immediate attention.

The purpose of this brief communication is to describe a simple first-aid measure to remove a foreign body from subtarsal sulcus which can be practised by any person himself without any external aid. The method being very simple is also recommended as the first procedure of choice in case of children who often resent eversion of upper lid and removal of the foreign body.

 Method



one looks straight ahead and closes the eyes gently. For the left eye the eye lashes of the upper lid are grasped between the left thumb and index finger; the lid is drawn away from the globe, pulled down and placed gently over the lower lid and held in position for a moment by the index finger placed horizontally across the eye lashes over the lower orbital margin [Figure 1]. The upper lid is then released. The friction thus imparted between conjunctival and skin surfaces is often enough to dislodge and remove the foreign body from subtarsal sulcus. The idea of looking straight ahead during the procedure is to make avail�able more of lower lid skin surface for the purpose of imparting friction. For the right eye right thumb and index finger are to be likewise used. The procedure can be safely repeated several times if need be. Absence of foreign body feeling during blinking after the proce�dure indicates that the foreign body has been success�fully removed.

 Summary



A simple first-aid method of self extraction of foreign body lodged in subtarsal sulcus is described.