A giant subconjunctival foreign body in the lacrimal region: A case report

Background Foreign bodies are a common cause of eye pain and tears. Here, we report a case of a large vegetable foreign body that penetrated the conjunctiva into the subconjunctival lacrimal caruncle as a result of vigorous eye rubbing. Case presentation: A 50-year-old woman from rural Leshan presented with persistent redness and swelling at the inner canthus of her left eye for 10 days. The conjunctiva overlying the lacrimal caruncle appeared elevated, congested, and edematous. A sharp, approximately 1-mm foreign body of vegetable origin was visible on the nasal aspect of the elevated area. The temporal bulbar conjunctiva appeared pale and semicircular. The extracted plant foreign body resembled a seed, measuring 8 mm in length and 4 mm in diameter, with surface burrs. Following removal, the patient's symptoms resolved. Conclusion When evaluating patients presenting with chief complaints of ocular irritation, thorough ocular examinations should be performed with particular attention to ruling out occult foreign bodies. Concurrently, it is imperative to strengthen ophthalmic health education initiatives, prioritizing standardized trauma management protocols to prevent secondary ocular damage resulting from suboptimal first-aid interventions.