X-Ray Eye for Foreign Body
X Ray Basics:
A foreign object in your eye is anything that flew into the eye accidentally, such as a speck of dust, chips of wood metal shaving, insects, parasites, or a piece of glass. Most foreign bodies get stuck under the eyelid or on the surface of your eye.
Most laborers in woodcutting, boiler making, and fitting experience injuries related to foreign bodies in the eye.
A foreign body lodged in your eye will not get lost behind the eyeball but could scratch the cornea or penetrate the conjunctiva. It primarily results in minor injuries but could cause infection or damage your vision.
Why do you need an Eye X-ray?
Most problems involving a foreign body in the eye are minor and usually heal without complications when treated promptly.
Once you experience any of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical help. Do not attempt to remove the object yourself, as it may result in exacerbating the scratch or tear.
You may experience the following symptoms if you have a foreign body in the eye:
● Sharp pain in the eye followed by a burning and irritating sensation
● The sensation of something being stuck in your eye
● Excessive watering and red eye
● Hindered or scratchy eyelid when blinking
● Blurry vision or obstruction of vision
● Sensitivity to fluorescent lights
● A brown ring around the eyeball resulting from bleeding into the white of the eye (subconjunctival hemorrhage)
When do you need it?
Orbital X-ray for foreign objects in the eye is primarily used to detect problems resulting in minor trauma to the eye. An X-ray for a foreign body in the eye may also be ordered for patients complaining of pain, vision obstruction, and excessive watering in the eyes. Your ophthalmologist (eye specialist) will also request an orbital X-ray when a foreign body is felt but cannot be detected through an ophthalmoscope.
This X-ray is also used as a screening tool before an MRI is conducted since metallic foreign bodies could cause injury to the eye during the MRI. If a metallic foreign object in the eye is suspected, an X-ray is preferred over the MRI to ensure no foreign body is present. Patients scheduled for MRIs are screened for the possible presence of metallic foreign bodies by a questionnaire or interview with the MRI technologist.
How do you need to prepare?
No special preparation is required for a Foreign Body in Eye X-ray; however, keep the following points in mind before your appointment:
● If there is a chance of pregnancy, inform your physician and radiologist to discuss the exposure limit for the developing fetus.
● Remove any jewelry or metal objects that might distort the radiographic image.
● Consult the X-ray technician if you wear any on-body devices such as an insulin pump or have metal implants from prior surgeries
● You may be asked to change into the hospital gown for the imaging at the time of the scan.
What to Expect?
X-raying is a routine, painless procedure that uses radiation to image the anatomy of the eye.
The technician positions the patient on an X-ray table sitting or lying down. The patient is placed prone (lying face down) with no rotation of the head. When an X-ray for a foreign body is requested, the patients are asked to look straight ahead. Sometimes two lateral views may be taken with the patient looking up and one with the patient looking down.
The technician will cover any parts not being imaged with a lead sheet to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure. You will be asked to hold a particular position for a few seconds without moving while the image is being made. These positions may feel uncomfortable but need to be held for only a few seconds. If the technician feels the radiographs obtained are blurry, the procedure will have to be redone.
What do your X-ray results mean?
A radiologist will study your results and draw findings, produce a report and send it to your primary health care provider, who will explain what the results mean.
Positive findings in the X-ray may show some injury sustained by the eye. Tiny fractures, scratches and bleeding can be detected on the radiograph. Your doctor will discuss all the findings with you and draw a treatment plan.
Related X-rays:
Eye Sockets X-ray, Orbits 4V X-ray
