How to turn an eyelid outward

Turning a person’s eyelid outward can help you to:

• Wash out chemicals
• Remove a foreign body
• Remove eyelashes that turn inward.

Prepare

You will need:

• Cotton buds (or wear a clean glove and use your finger).

Explain

Explain to the person that you will:

• Gently hold their eyelashes with one hand
• Use a cotton bud (or your finger) to gently turn their eyelid outwards.

Turn eyelid outwards

1. Hold the eyelashes of the upper eyelid with one hand
2. With the other hand, place a cotton bud or finger on the upper eyelid about halfway down
3. Use gentle and steady pressure downward with the cotton bud, and gently turn the eyelid up against this pressure
4. After you have finished, ask the person to look up and the eyelid will return to its normal position.