How are metal foreign bodies removed from the cornea?

Foreign bodies can get into the eye and are very irritating, but are usually washed out with the tears. Metal flakes, however, have a tendency to stick to the cornea surface and quickly rust.

They can be removed with a q-tip. If the piece is deep, it needs to be examined under the slit-lamp microscope. It can be removed using a blunt needle by an ophthalmologist. To get a better idea how this looks, check out the foreign-body removal video.