Whether it’s spring cleaning or you finally took a look at the back of your computer tower, its easy for small bits of dust to fly into your eyes.
When this happens, most of us will begin frantically rubbing our eyes in a poor attempt to remove the particles. But this isn’t a particularly effective solution. Luckily, when you learn how to remove dust in your eyes using these simple methods, you’ll never have this problem again
The problem with dust in your eyes
You’re strolling along, enjoying a peaceful day when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a piece of dust flies past and lodges itself as firmly in your eye as Britney Spear’s memoir has in national consciousness.
In addition to feeling unpleasant, dust or debris in your eye can quickly become painful if not removed. Much like Piers Morgan.
Whether it’s dust mites, a grain of sand or a particularly vicious dislodged eyelash, the sensation is the same: irritation, redness, swelling and after a while… pain.
⚠️PSA: Despite the urge, DO NOT rub your eyes when this happens. It’s a bigger mistake than trusting Homelander.
It can actually be dangerous as your risk rubbing the foreign object deeper into your eyeball, irritating the cornea and possibly causing an infection or eye injury.
No one wants to lose an eye, or end up in the ER just to get some dust removed from your eye. These home remedies are the perfect way to keep your eyes healthy and remove dust without causing an irritated eye.
How to remove dust in your eyes: 6 home remedies
1. Blinking 👁️
The first remedy is the simplest and most effortless; blinking. Just blink your eyes several times as quickly as you can. The repeated up/down movement will cause tears which will naturally flush out bacteria and other particles present in your eye. Bonus: it’s a simple, effective method and you don’t need anything to try it.
2. Rinse your eyes with clean water 👀
If rapid blinking doesn’t work, you can try the next step: washing your eyes. First, remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to avoid any risk of contamination by bacteria, microbes, or other irritating elements. Remember the eyes are very susceptible to infections.
Proper hand washing before touching them is essential to remove the risk of damaging your eye and ending up like a poor imitation of Captain Hook. Once clean and tidy, run lukewarm water over your affected eye, trying to keep it as open as possible. Rinse it for a few minutes then blink gently to help remove the irritant.
3. Use physiological serum 💦
An alternative to washing your eyes with water is to use eye drops, physiological serum or even artificial tears/saline solution to rinse your eyes. You can easily find these in drug stores and you don’t need a prescription to purchase them. Once you’ve acquired your item, simply pour the liquid into the open eye. This will allow the foreign body to naturally wash away.
4. Dip breadcrumbs in milk 🍞
This might sound like it comes from your conspiracy theorist friend, but it really does work. Dip a small bit of bread in milk and then let it sit on your closed eyelid. Weirdly, the humidity attracts dust and it will dislodge itself from your eye just like magic. Or a crow spotting something shiny.
5. Remove the dust using the corner of a tissue or a cotton swab 🧻
Don’t believe the breadcrumbs? You can always try a different way that doesn’t involve dousing your eye in milk. If you can see the dust particle on your eye, therefore making it easily accessible, you can try to catch it with the corner of a clean tissue or a cotton swab. Be careful not to poke yourself in the eye though.
6. Life your eyelid and push the dust to the corner of your eye to remove it
Another relatively simple tip for removing dust from your eyes. Using your thumb and index finger, gently lift your upper lid and move your eyes up then down, then side to side several times. This should help move the foreign object to the corner of your eye for easier removal.
Taking care of your eye after removing the dust
Once you’ve gotten rid of the offending dust, you might find your eye is still a little uncomfortable or sore.
It’s a natural part of the healing process and totally normal, but you still want to take good care of your eye.
It can take up to 24 hours for your eye to stop feeling irritated, so don’t panic if it takes a while for the feeling to go away.
In order to ensure your eye is completely healed and back in full working order, don’t hesitate to give yourself a little pamper session. You might find its still really sensitive and this will help relieve any long-term irritation.
For example, you can take some precautions like:
- 😎 Wearing sunglasses outside so as to protect it against the sun's rays and bright light.
- 👁️🗨️ Avoiding wearing contact lenses while you heal.
- 🧼 Not touching your eyes with your fingers, and washing your hands well before touching any nearby area.
- 🧑⚕️ Consulting an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) if the discomfort is still there more than 24 hours after removing the dust, if the eye is irritated, or if new symptoms appear.
What to do if the dust won’t budge
If one of these foolproof remedies worked, and discomfort persists, we strongly recommend you contact an ophthalmologist.
It’s always okay to check in case of emergency.
Be careful not to let your eye suffer for too long. Otherwise you’re risking long term, far more serious eye problems.
It’s important to see a eye healthcare professional if:
- 😩 You can’t remove the foreign body on your own.
- 😱 The particle is embedded in your eyeball.
- 😵💫 Your vision is blurry or abnormal.
- 🫣 You suffer an increased sensitivity to light.
- 😕 Pain, discomfort or redness is still present once the dust is removed.
- 🤢 In case of nausea, dizziness or headaches.
Horus X’s advice on how to avoid getting dust in your eyes
Unfortunately, there’s no miracle solution that will allow you to permanently avoid getting dust in your eye. Unless you remove your eyeballs.
Our best advice for minimal eye issues and to avoid foreign objects invading, is to wear protective glasses that shield your eyes from external debris they face on a daily basis.
And good news! You’re in the right place to get them. Glasses are Horus X’s speciality and we have models appropriate for all scenarios, including casual daywear glasses, gaming glasses, and even ones for your kids!
It’s important you take care of your eyes to guarantee good eye health. Luckily, we’ve thought of that. Take a look at our tips and info on eye protection!
🧴Beware of chemicals!
We don’t mean we’re suddenly concerned you’re going to channel Walter White. Instead, we’re referring to the risk of getting any chemicals or chemical-based substances in your eye.
This can occur anytime but is most likely when doing DIY, gardening, cleaning household dust, or other similar activities. If you wear a contact lens, ensure it’s removed before handling any chemicals.
The best and easiest way to protect your eyes is by wearing safety glasses. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a chemical substance in your eyes (either directly, or through the vapors). This is particularly dangerous as it can get stuck between your lens and cornea, causing serious damage and potentially leading to a corneal abrasion.
How to remove dust in your eyes: Final thoughts
Even if it’s not a common problem, it’s one of the worst feelings when you get something stuck in your eye.
Luckily there are a few simple things you can try to remove dust and debris from your eye quickly and easily.
From now on, if something gets lodged in your eye, you know all you need is warm water or a clean, dry tissue to quickly remove the problem.
Don’t hesitate to wear your best protective glasses when out and about, or doing work at home, and if the problem persists, always always consult a professional like an ophthalmologist.
