What Should I Do If I Get Sulfuric Acid in My Eyes?
Getting sulfuric acid in your eyes is a medical emergency; no amount is “safe.” Found in products like fertilizers, dyes, and detergents, sulfuric acid can cause severe eye damage depending on its concentration.
If exposure happens, immediately flush your eyes with lukewarm water for at least 10 minutes. Then, call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance. If possible, have someone else make the call while you continue flushing, and keep the product nearby in case follow-up questions are needed.
👁️ Check our full blog on eye exposure first-aid for detailed information on what to do when exposed to a poison in the eyes.
Transcript with visual descriptions
Visual: A lab setup with flasks. Text asks, “What happens if you get sulfuric acid in your eyes?” The Missouri Poison Center logo is in the bottom right corner.
Sound: Upbeat, light-hearted instrumental music begins.
Visual: Person 1, wearing a white lab coat and yellow gloves, stands in a studio in front of a bubbling green cauldron graphic.
Person 1: What happens if I get sulfuric acid in my eyes? Nothing good. Okay? Don’t do it! You don’t want that.
Visual: A clear test tube with a bubbling, frothy liquid inside.
Person 1: Sulfuric acid can be found in
Visual: A man in a field sprays plants with a backpack sprayer.
Person 1: fertilizer,
Visual: Red liquid ink disperses in dark water.
Person 1: pigment dyes,
Visual: A woman in a store smells a pink bottle of detergent.
Person 1: and detergent, for example.
Visual: Back to Person 1 with yellow gloves in his hands and no cauldron.
Person 1: But how much damage it does to your eyes is dependent on the concentration of the acid.
Visual: A blue screen with white text says, “The FIRST THING you want to do is”.
Person 1: The first thing you want to do is
Visual: A man is shown rinsing his face and eyes under a showerhead. Text says, “RINSE YOUR EYES with lukewarm water for 10 minutes”.
Person 1: Rinse your eyes with lukewarm water for 10 minutes.
Visual: Back to Person 1 with yellow gloves in his hands.
Person 1: Then call the Missouri Poison Center for help! And if you have someone else who can help you make that call, even better. Keep the product you got into your eyes close by when you call. We may need to ask follow-up questions about its ingredients to correctly assist and guide you in first aid safety.
Visual: The Missouri Poison Center logo with text “Open 24/7!” and the phone number 1-800-222-1222.
Person 1: If you suspect someone has had an exposure to sulfuric acid, call the Missouri Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222.
Visual: Back to Person 1.
Person 1: It’s fast, free, and confidential! And it could save your life.
