Kids are prone to panic when they have something in their eye- they quickly get upset if it doesn't get sorted quickly and they tend to rub it immediately - vigorously.

Not long ago I was at the park with the boys and some distance away I noticed a Dad with his child. They were playing in the sandpit. The little one enthusiastically threw the sand in the air, as they do ;-) and got some in her eyes.

Poor Dad didn't know what to do- his voice quickly rose in panic - he insisted she "let him look".
She was frightened and rubbing her eyes furiously. He grabbed her drink bottle and tried to squirt it in her eyes. Within seconds of the initial 'sand in eyes' the child was a screaming hysterical mess and her Dad was  not much better. As I was starting to go over to see if I could help , he grabbed her under one arm and the bag under the other and charged for his car frantically telling her "We're going home!" (presumably so Mum could sort it all out?!")

I can also remember it being a major event when I got something in my eye when I was small too. My Mum always urged me "DON'T RUB IT!!!!" but she also stressed about it and insisted I wash it out in a glass of water or an eye-bath. It always seemed to hurt for a long time and be a dreadful panic and hassle.

I actually WORRIED about my kids getting 'something in their eye" (how would I cope). Then I started paying attention to what I did (what helped and what didn't) when I got a foreign object in my own eyes, and from there worked out a simple strategy which I use with my kids which has ensured that it is very rarely more than a few moments inconvenience.

• Stay Calm - no matter what has happened try and keep your cool
• Use a low steady voice
• Reassure (Its ok- you will be alright - its fine- dont worry)
• Give Directions in a firm but gentle voice.
• DONT let the child rub their eye!
• Allow them to hold their hand over their eye and press lightly if they like- but not to rub (as this can scratch the eye if there is grit present)
• Get them to blink slowly a few times
• Pull the lower lid down a little (or get them to do it)
• Alternate with having them shut their eyes
• You dont need to 'see' the eye at first (it hurts to try and let someone look) give the object a chance to work into a corner.
• Often you do not actively try to 'get it out' - it will 'wash' out itself if you let it.
  
• If its an eyelash or an obvious object you can easily remove it with a dampened cotton bud (saline solution is great for this) so long as the child is calm and cooperative.

If you stay very calm and speak in a low unstressed voice, giving firm directions - the child will generally stay calm and do as you suggest. By not rubbing and carefully blinking, closing the eye, holding it gently and pulling down the lower lid the eye is allowed to water naturally and work the irritant into the corner of the lower lid (where it will no longer hurt and will come out by itself usually).
If possible and if its not easing quickly - try to get a wet cloth and hold it over the eye - this is soothing and gentler than a hand- the dampness also helps if the eye is not watering much by itself.

With most cases- these simple techniques will soon resolve the problem and the child can continue playing with no tears or stress and certainly no hysterics.
WIth more stubborn cases an eye bath may be necessary (or a full glass of water) - try to get the child to lean over and open and shut their eye in the water (quite tricky) or use the handy little saline vials available at the chemist for washing the eye.

This is what works for us, naturally there are the rare occasions where things are more serious (as when my youngest accidentally whacked me in the eye and the inner membrane between the two chambers of the eye ruptured... ) If you always try to maintain calm in these situations (so that the child handles 'everyday' eye incidents well )- then you will be able to recognise more easily the unlikely event where medical attention is required.

Good luck.