What happens to the dust and sand that gets in your eyes?

There is no way that an external particle, unless it struck the eyeball at great speed AND it would probably also need to be pointed or sharp (like a sliver of wood or steel), would penetrate the wall of the eye (cornea, or conjunctiva+sclera) and get “into” the eye. read more

Even though your eyes will try to flush the sand out by watering heavily and you may try to irrigate the eye, scratches can still occur. When this happens, it is called a corneal abrasion. The cornea is the clear tissue that protects the pupil and iris and helps your eyes focus. read more