How do I get rid of something I can't see in my eye. Feels like a sand granule !

How do I get rid of something I can't see in my eye. Feels like a sand granule and it won't go away.?

I was walking home today after a long day of studying and all of a sudden it felt like something was in my eye. This has happened at other points in my life and it's gone away on its own or with some minor flushing. I can't get rid of it! I've tried many thing such as: sticking my eye under a running faucet, filling my sink up with water and dousing my head for 20 second intervals while blinking my eye to try and dislodge the thing, and I've also used articficial tears to try to flush it away. The problem is I don't see anything there. How long do I have before I have to see a doctor. I'm a student and I don't have much money and my student health insurance probably won't cover this. Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

I've had this happen to me on occasion. The culprit was an ingrown eyelash. You cannot see it yourself. It has to be located and removed by an eye doctor. Once it is plucked, within minutes your eye will feel better.