Eyewash setups aren’t just for high-hazard areas such as chemistry labs. Homes that contain everyday household cleaning materials as well small children should have a quick method to rinse hazardous material from eyes. Even in non-emergency situations, rinsing your eyes with water can help soothe worn-out, tired eyes by increasing moisture and circulation.[1] Medical professionals may recommend an eyewash slot bonus for other situations as well. By knowing how to properly administer an eyewash solution, you can prepare yourself for a variety of situations.
1. Determine if you need immediate medical attention. Some contaminants can cause chemical burns or other complications. Check the label of the chemical to ensure an eyewash is appropriate. You can always contact the Poison Control Center at (800) 222-1222 to learn how to respond to a particular chemical in your eyes.
- You should also seek immediate medical attention if you develop symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, headaches or lightheadedness, double or impaired vision, dizziness or loss of consciousness, and rashes or fever.
- If eye washing is ineffective in your situation, you should call the Poison Control Center and seek medical attention. You should also contact another person to come get you to ensure you receive the proper medical attention.
2. Determine how long to wash your eyes. The amount of time you should spend washing your eyes depends upon the type of contaminant you need to rinse out. The times can vary greatly; however, you can never wash your eyes for too long when they have been exposed to a contaminant. Err on the side of caution when it comes to how long you rinse your eyes. You should wash:
- Five minutes for mildly irritating chemicals, such as hand soap or shampoo.
- Twenty minutes or longer for moderate-to-severe irritants, including hot peppers.
- Twenty minutes for non-penetrating corrosives, such as acids like battery acid.
- At least sixty minutes for penetrating corrosives, which include household alkalis like drain cleaner, bleach, and ammonia.
3. Keep an eyewash solution at home. Commercial eyewash solutions are sterile, and they have a balanced neutral pH of 7.0. This means that using an eyewash solution will always be preferable to simply using water.
4. Use sterilized water. If you don’t have access to an actual eyewash solution, then try to use sterilized water. Tap water can still contain harmful elements that will further irritate your eyes.
- You can also use bottled water.
- Milk can soothe burning from foods such as peppers. However, use sterile solution to flush your eyes as well. Always ensure that the milk hasn’t spoiled since this can introduce bacteria into the eyes.
5. Make sure the solution is at the correct temperature. Especially when using bottled water or the milk combination, you should ensure that you don’t take liquids directly from the refrigerator. Regardless of which option you’re using to wash out your eyes, the temperature should be between 60–100°F (15.6–37.8°C)