How to treat chemical eye injury?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have redness and irritation in my eye after a chemical accidentally entered it. I immediately rinsed my eye thoroughly with clean water for about 10 minutes to wash out the chemical. After that, I used Festive Dee (Ofloxacin, Dexamethasone, and Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose ) eye drops.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your query and understand your concern.

Eye chemical exposure can feel very alarming.

The most important and correct first step in this situation is immediate and continuous washing of the eye with clean water, and you did the right thing by flushing it for about 10 minutes. That helps dilute and remove most of the chemicals and reduces the risk of deeper injury.

Eye drops like Festive Dee (Ofloxacin, Dexamethasone, and Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) are not the main treatment in an acute chemical exposure, and the key protection is really thorough irrigation.

Even if the redness and irritation seem to improve after washing, it is still important to monitor your eye closely for the next 24 to 48 hours. If you develop

Persistent redness.
Pain.
Light sensitivity.
Blurred vision.
Feeling like something is stuck in the eye.

You should get examined by an eye specialist as soon as possible because some chemical injuries can cause delayed irritation to the cornea.

For now, avoid rubbing the eye and avoid using any further medicated drops unless prescribed, and you can use clean artificial tears if dryness or mild irritation continues.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.