6wo huge hair in eye (photo)

[LaMadrilena]

My 6wo has somehow got a huge hair in her eye, it looks like one of her dad's ridiculously long eyelashes (think Jersey cow). Anyone know the best way to get it out? Flush with sterile solution? Just ordinary water? It's not red and she doesn't seem bothered, no blinking/rubbing etc.

Corner of a tissue?

I agree, the corner of a tissue rolled to a point works well

I'm trying with a tissue, but the hair's so long and "heavy" (for a hair) I can't break the surface tension on her eyeball!

Wet cotton bud?

Would the cotton bud not leave fibres? I suppose not if it's wet.

Yes corner of dry tissue will get that out no problem

Sorry just seen you have tried that. Can you squeeze few drops water over like if she’s in bath should make her blink and hopefully move to edge of eye

Wet flannel?

Flush with saline. Water shouldn’t be put in the eye.

If it's not bothering her then I would leave it, it will work its way out and you don't want to risk damaging her eye

Did you roll your tissue in to a point and make the end damp?

Get hold of the eyelashes on her top eyelid, and pull the lid down over the bottom eyelid. In an ideal world, she'd then look up, but I see that she's a bit too little to understand that ❤️

When you let the lashes go, the hair should have moved to the corner of her eye.

Make sure the water has been boiled and cooled so its safe to use. And then squirt with a clean calpol syringe while holding eyelids open should flush it out.

Water shouldn’t be put in the eye.

My toddler DS has had water in the eyes on numerous occasions whilst splashing in the bath. I've never thought twice about it but could it do damage to his eyes?

Babies go swimming in public pools and live tell tale few drops clean water will be fine. If they have older sibling they have far worse in their eye time they are walking. They are tough things

@LaMadrilena

Would the cotton bud not leave fibres? I suppose not if it's wet.

I would try it wet myself but obviously it's your choice!

Water can contain bacteria and cause infections in eyes in some cases. I think that's the reason for no water in the eye.

Am I the worst mother ever for using a clean finger???

Cooled boiled water with a little salt to make a saline solution. I’d be tempted to pop to a supermarket if you can and get some eye drops or eye wash though. Don’t poke anything into a baby’s eye!!

As she's not bothered by it at the moment, we're going to wait till bathtime to try with saline, that way we roll 2 tantrums into 1! I appreciate all the advice.

If it was my eye, I'd be fishing it out with a finger and posting on Sporner's Corner!

The “old” way to get anything out of a baby’s eye without risking damage to their eye is to use your tongue!

But not sure if that is recommended any more

If you’re breastfeeding you could try some breast milk instead of water/saline

Can you try massaging the top eyelid to encourage it towards the corner? Not sure if I’ve explained that well enough...

I massively misread and thought she was 6yo not 6wo! Ignore cotton bud advice!!!!!!!!!

Inadvertently getting water in the eye through splashing is fine. Pouring water into it deliberately when you have other alternatives, better not — it’s safe to drink but can cause infections in the eye. Breastmilk contains bacteria and is not sterile so saline is better than milk plus you won’t worry about wasting it when the baby moves her head and half goes on the floor. There’s only anecdotal evidence that breastmilk helps infections and with a baby’s eye you’ll want better evidence than that.