Eyelid Eversion

To properly check for a foreign body you have to evert the eyelids.

The upper lid is harder to evert because of the tarsal plate. You have to apply pressure at the superior aspect of the tarsal plate while lifting the lid to evert it (like a hinge).

To do this on a patient, have them look down. Use a cotton-tipped applicator and apply gentle pressure at the superior tarsal plate (that’s about 1 cm from the eyelid margin) while you evert the lid upwards. When you’ve finished inspecting, have the patient look down, and the lid goes right back into place.

The lower lid is a lot easier. Just pull it down and look around.