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What To Do

What do you do if you get a cleaning spray or the oil from poison ivy in your eye? Maybe you accidentally got hydrogen peroxide or brake cleaner in your eye. Are you prepared? Injuries like these happen every day, and it’s important to know the basic first aid for an eye exposure.

First aid for an eye exposure:
  1. Wash your hands to make sure they are clean of any other substances before removing contact lenses and flushing the eye.
  2. Flush your eye(s) with lukewarm water for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Have the patient blink as much as possible during flushing. Do not force eyelids open.
  4. Call the Missouri Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222 to receive further treatment advice. If possible, have the bottle and/or name of the chemical or poison that entered your eye available.

Important

If you are wearing contact lenses, immediately remove them from your eye(s). Contacts can hold the chemical or poison against your cornea, which can cause serious injury.

Other Poison Routes

Illustration of the lungs

Inhaled

Illustration of a hand

Skin

Illustration of a mouth

Swallowed

Take The Missouri Poison Center With You

Emergencies don’t wait for you, so you shouldn’t have to wait to call for help. Get the Missouri Poison Center app with poison information and a link to the Poison Help Line. It is just a click away during the most stressful moments. Our registered nurses and pharmacists are here 24/7/365 days a year to help guide you through poison exposures and overdose emergencies.

Don’t wait. Download now.

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