Eye Injury: First Aid for Heat Burns

If you are wearing contacts, remove them before you flush your eye. If you can't remove a contact, flush your eye with the contact in place.

1. Immediately flush the eye with cool water. You can use any of these methods to flush the eye. You must hold the eyelids open while you:
   • Stand under a shower with open eyes.
   • Put your face under a running faucet.
   • Use a kitchen sink sprayer at low pressure.
   • Immerse your face in a sink or pan filled with water.
   • Run water from a garden hose over your eye. (Don't use the spray nozzle.)
   • Pour water from a pitcher or jug over your eye.
2. Protect the eye.
   • After flushing your eye, wear dark glasses or cover the eye with a clean bandage or cloth.
   • Do not use fluffy cotton bandages around the eye. They could tear apart and get stuck in the eye. Keeping the eye closed may help reduce pain.
   • Do not apply any pressure to the eye or the area around the eye.
   • If blisters form, do not pop them.
3. Use cool compresses for pain.
   • Use a light, cool compress to reduce the pain. If a small ice pack is used, place a cloth between the ice and the skin.
   • Do not use chemical cooling packs on the eyes. If the pack leaks, the chemicals could cause more eye damage.

Many workplaces have eye wash stations for burns to the eye. Know where they are and how to use them.

Even if the injury seems minor, have an eye doctor (either an optometrist or an ophthalmologist) check the eye. You may need treatment.