Eye Wash Procedures
Introduction
Whether at home or in a commercial/industrial environment, protecting your eyes is an important task when using harmful substances or chemicals. Unfortunately, sometimes accidents do happen. When irritants find their way into your eyes there are two main eye wash procedures that will help prevent any permanent damage to the structures of your eyes.
Eye Wash Stations
In most laboratories or industrial facilities that use harmful substances, there are eye wash stations. When an irritant enters the eye it is important to go to the station immediately and start washing the eye. To do this, turn the eye wash station on and place your eyes directly over the water sprayers. Hold your eyelids open with your fingers so that the water cleanses your inner eye. Continue this treatment for at least 15 minutes, even if you feel the irritation has subsided. Depending on the substance involved, you may also want to call 911 or go to a hospital for treatment.
Hospital Eye Wash
In case of a serious eye accident or exposure to an eye irritant at home, go to a hospital emergency room, where medical professionals will use a technique called eye irrigation. This involves the use of sterile tubing running a constant supply of isotonic saline solution across the surface of the conjunctival sac from the inner canthus to the outer canthus. A curved water basin is placed against the patient's cheek to collect the saline solution as it runs out of the eye. A waterproof pad is also placed on the patient to help keep them dry.
