There was always a foreign body in my eye as if I had sand in my eye. When I went to the hospital, it was an "ocular calculi"! I've heard of gallstones and kidney stones, but this is the first time I've heard of eye stones! Do stones (calculi) grow in the eyes too?
What is eye stone (Ocular calculi)?
Ocular calculi are also called conjunctival calculi. It is common in ophthalmology and is generally found in the eyelid, which is the inside of the eyelid. It forms a yellowish-white particle on the surface conjunctiva. Fewer particles are scattered, and more appear in clusters or rows. The particles are also generally hard in texture.
When an eye stone is inside the conjunctiva, it is usually not felt, but if it protrudes from the surface of the conjunctiva, it will rub against the eye and feel like sand has entered the eye.
Why do you get eye stones?
1. Long-term contact lens wear
If you wear contact lenses or colored contacts for a long time, the lenses will rub against your eyelids for a long time, leading to increased secretions in your eyes. When the conjunctiva is irritated, it can easily lead to eye inflammation, and it will be easy to grow eye stones.
2. Wearing heavy makeup frequently
When applying makeup, eye cosmetics such as eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara are usually used. If the makeup is not removed properly or if the eye makeup residue accidentally falls into the eye, it can irritate the eyelid. Over time, this can easily lead to eye stones.
3. Long-term use of cell phones, computers, and other electronic products
Play games, watch videos, work for long periods, and immerse yourself in playing with your phone. When you forget to blink your eyes for a long time, tears evaporate very quickly, and over time, it is easy to cause dry eyes and then inflammation of the eyes, leading to eye stones.
Eye stones - Ocular calculi, if left untreated for a long time, will gather densely on the conjunctiva with yellowish-white dots, which will cause a stinging sensation and even irritate the cornea and cause corneal abrasions.
What are the ways to prevent eye stones?
Do not rub your eyes with your hands
Rubbing your eyes with your hands can easily cause damage to the eyeball. Also, subconscious eye rubbing can quickly bring bacteria into the eye and cause inflammation. If you accidentally enter your eye because of a foreign body, do not rub it. You should gently tug the upper eyelid and let the foreign body flush with the tears. Or flush with saline. If the situation is serious, seek medical attention promptly.
Keep your eyes moist
If you stare at the screen for a long time, you can intentionally increase the number of blinks or yawn to increase the secretion of tear glands, thus making your eyes moister. When you use your eyes too much, rest properly, do eye exercises, or look into the distance.
Wear contact lenses with care and cleanliness
If you must wear contact lenses or colored contacts, remember to disinfect them regularly to prevent bacteria from accumulating in your eyes. Test your eyes periodically and stop wearing them immediately if symptoms such as dryness and itchiness occur.
Remove eye makeup cleanly
Try not to make eye makeup too thick. When removing makeup, you can use eye makeup remover or makeup remover oil, be sure to clean thoroughly to avoid cosmetic ingredients hurting your eyes.
If you must face electronic screens for a long time daily, please wear blue light blocking glasses to protect against harmful blue light and the above conditions. In cases where contact lenses are not necessary, wear eyeglasses to prevent the formation of eye stones. Then, spare pairs of cheap glasses are a good choice.
