If a chemical gets in your eye,we generally close our eyes or rub it. However, this could cause more irritation. Immediately rinse your eye under a steady stream of clean warm water for 15 minutes
Randleman et al (2009) Emory Eye centre states that chemical injuries account for around 7% of work-related eye injuries treated at US hospital emergency departments. Furthermore, they said that over 60% of chemical injuries occur in the workplace, 30% at home and 10% as a result of assault.
Acids are chemicals that aren't extremely dangerous, even though they may initially sting and cause redness. Alkalis, like oven cleaners or toilet bowl cleaners, although they may not hurt at first, can cause serious damage, including vision loss and blindness
Common sources of alkali are as follows:Cleaning products,Fertilizers,Drain cleaners,Cement, plaster, mortar (eg, lime),Airbag rupture (eg, sodium hydroxide)Fireworks (eg, magnesium hydroxide),Potash (eg, potassium hydroxide)
Common sources of acids are Battery acid (eg, sulfuric acid),Bleach (eg, sulfurous acid),Glass polish,Vinegar (eg, acetic acid),Chromic acid,Nitric acid,Hydrochloric
If available, the eye should be anesthetized prior to irrigation.
Ideally, the eye should be irrigated with a sterile balanced buffered solution, such as normal saline solution or Ringer's lactate solution. However, immediate irrigation with even plain tap water is preferred without waiting for the ideal fluid.
The irrigation solution must contact the ocular surface.Irrigation should be continued until the pH of the ocular surface is neutralized, usually requiring 1-2 liters of fluid
Chemically injured eyes have a tendency to poorly produce adequate tears; therefore, artificial tear supplements play an important role in healing.
A therapeutic bandage contact lens until the epithelium has regenerated can be helpful in some patients.
Refer the patient to the Ophthalmologist (Eye Specialist) at the earliest.
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