Established first aid for a chemical eye injury is immediate and prolonged irrigation with clean water or saline, before any detailed examination or transfer. Delay makes damage more likely.
Remove any particulate matter, check the pH after irrigation until it is neutral, then examine for epithelial defect, limbal involvement, corneal clouding and intraocular pressure. Refer promptly for severe injuries.
- Irrigate immediately with plenty of clean water or saline and continue for a long period.
- Check surface pH after irrigation until it is neutral.
- Remove visible particles and evert the lids to find hidden material.
- Refer promptly to an ophthalmologist for burns involving the limbus or cornea.
Why it matters
The first minutes decide how much limbal damage occurs.
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