Chemical Eye Burn
Watering and burning in your eyes can occur when you come in contact with chemicals. You must always protect your eyes if you work in companies where chemicals are vital. Some household items also contain chemicals that can damage the eye.
There are three types of Chemical injuries in the eyes. They include:
- Alkali burns: According to studies, alkali burns are the most harmful type of chemical injury. Substances that contain high levels of alkali can invade the surface of your eyes and result in damage to your interior and exterior portions of the eye. Examples of chemicals that contain high levels of alkali, include lyes, potassium hydroxides, [2] and ammonias. These chemicals are often used in home to clean ovens, drains, and toilets.
- Acid burns: Acid burns may not be as harmful as alkali burns, but they can still cause excruciating pain in the eyes. Chemicals such as Eric acid, Nitric acid, and Sulfuric acid [3] can cause acid burns in the eye. They are often found in household items, such as automobile batteries, and nail polish removers.
- Irritants: Most irritants have a neutral PH, so they can irritate your eyes. They don’t cause permanent damage to the eyes. Examples of irritants are PH-neutral household cleaners and pepper spray.
When your eyes comes in contact with a chemical, the first thing to do is to irrigate them painstakingly. In most cases, your work place will have an emergency eyewash department that has harmless saline solutions. If you cannot access a saline solution, you can wash your eyes with cold or lukewarm water.