Splashed a poison in the eye? Here's How To Rinse It

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• It's important that you irrigate (rinse the exposed eyes) immediately. Every second matters and a delay could result in loss of sight. Remove contact lenses. Use lots of room temperature water and irrigate for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
• Adults and older children may find it easier to hop in the shower. Wrap young children in a towel and let water from the faucet in the kitchen sink run over the eye − or slowly pour water from a pitcher. Let the water hit the bridge of the nose and gently run into the eyes rather than pouring the water directly into the eye. Important: Irrigate for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Encourage blinking.
• After the 15 to 20 minute irrigation, let the eye rest while you use webPOISONCONTROL or call Poison Control for additional help. If irritation, pain, visual problems, redness, swelling, or tearing persist an hour after irrigation is started, you'll need an urgent ophthalmic exam. That means a trip to an urgicenter or emergency room right away, unless an eye doctor can see you immediately. If the symptoms are severe, don't wait an hour − go straight to an emergency room after irrigating.