Well the answer is that it depends Normally static at home is not dangerous as the voltage is very high but the current is low and the duration brief. I'd expect no more damage to the eye than if it got scratched by flying debris or whatever, and I'm sure we have all experienced that. Obviously there are places and nerves that can be affected, and there are lots of nerves in the finger tips and parts of the face, but generally things get back to normal in a few hours. Having been near two lightning strikes I can tell you its not pleasant, but if your friend really had experienced a lightning strike directly to the phone line the phone and her would be toast. No matter how earthed a device is, it cannot cope with the huge current of lightning. In one case I was standing by a building that got hit, and a split second before it happened I felt my hair being pulled and prickled all over. No time to do or say anything. a huge flash and a very very loud bang and I was deaf for about five minutes with an effect like ears full of water for about another ten. You do not want to be that close. The heat I and others felt was quite bad, but luckily none of us were burned but there was a bloody great hole in the roof of the warehouse just next to the door. all the computers and electronic gear were destroyed.
The second time I was walking our dog and it hit an Electricity pylon just by where I was standing. Same again from the sound and radiated heat, but no static this time. I blame the tinnitus I get on the first one myself. Not much one can do about it though. So your answer is as I say, it depends, but if its merely like you get off filing cabinets, car doors, vacuum cleaner pipes earthed screws on light switches or duvets, then its unlikely to cause permanent harm, and just be an irritation. Brian