What to do if alcohol gets in your eyes?

When working with solvents, you should remember their toxicity and the fact that careless handling is dangerous to health. We will tell you how to avoid solvent poisoning and what to do if it does happen. According to the degree of danger, solvents are divided into four groups:

1. Maximum hazardous (polyurethane adhesives);
2. Highly hazardous (phenol, epoxy resins);
3. Moderately hazardous (styrene, vinyl acetate, toluene);
4. Low-hazard (acetone, gasoline, kerosene, white spirit, butyl acetate, ethyl acetate).

Compounds from the first and second groups are the most dangerous; a significant part of them are highly flammable. Even slight negligence when working with them can lead to solvent poisoning: this can be a skin burn from contact with the solvent or vapor poisoning if you work with the solvent for a long time in a room with poor ventilation. And of course, if you are allergic to any solvent, then you should avoid it or protect yourself with protective equipment.

Symptoms

Reference! Solvent (acetone, dimethyl ketone) is a low-toxic substance used in the production of paints, cosmetics and even medicines.

When working with it, it is extremely important to observe safety precautions: even a few drops of solvent that get on the skin can cause a chemical burn.

Acetone is quickly absorbed into the blood. This may cause signs of severe intoxication/drug poisoning.

The lethal dose is only 50 grams.

A chemical burn to the organs of vision can be distinguished by the following symptoms :

• redness of the mucous membrane;
• veins protruding from the white of the eye;
• swelling of the eyelids;
• burning;
• sharp pain;
• difficulty opening and closing eyes;
• decreased visual acuity.

The last point is worth talking about in more detail.

You should know! In the vast majority of cases, a chemical burn to the eyeball causes irreversible myopia.

In especially severe cases, complete blindness occurs.

Rules for working with solvents

When working with solvents, the following rules should be observed:

• the jar or bottle with the composition should be placed directly in front of you, slightly away from tools and other means;
• keep a damp cloth nearby and wipe the surfaces with it if a drop of solvent suddenly gets on them;
• you need to work with solvents carefully and concentrate;
• Use liquids only for their intended purpose, strictly following the dosage indicated in the instructions.

When the work is completed, all containers with the compositions must be tightly closed, and the used containers must be washed (or thrown away). How to remove solvent smell from a room? It's simple - the room needs to be well ventilated.

How to provide first aid at home?

First aid consists of immediately washing the eyes with clean, warm water.

To avoid vision problems in the future, you must adhere to the following rules:

• Do not expose your face to the running tap. Strong pressure can damage the fragile eye capillaries. In addition, running water often contains chlorine, which can aggravate an already serious eye condition.
• Don't rub your eyelids. Your hands will instinctively reach out to rub your eyes, but under no circumstances should you do this. Rubbing only increases irritation and discomfort.
• Be sure to wash your hands. The eyes are very sensitive to bacterial exposure. Damage further weakens local immunity. Therefore, before working, be sure to wash your hands with antimicrobial soap.
• Use a rubber bulb or a large syringe without a needle. Fill the device with clean water and rinse the eye with a thin, weak stream in the direction from the outer corner to the inner one (towards the tear duct). If you are rinsing the eyes of a child or person experiencing acute pain, place it near a sink or in front of a basin so that the solution flows freely from the eyes.
• Use a sterile bandage or gauze. This is true if the above-mentioned washing accessories are not available. Soak a small piece of cloth in clean water and wipe from the eye towards the nose. The action must be repeated until the lacrimation subsides.
• The longer the better. Rinse the damaged eye for at least 10-20 minutes. This is necessary in order to get rid of residual traces of the chemical.
• Relieve inflammation with herbs . This item is not mandatory, but in some cases its implementation helps to get rid of swelling caused by a chemical burn. To make an anti-inflammatory solution, regular tea leaves, chamomile or nettle are suitable.
• Do not apply a cold or hot compress. You may feel that this relieves pain and makes you feel better. In part, this is true, but local temperature changes provoke dilation of blood vessels and accelerate the penetration of chemicals into the bloodstream.

Keep in mind! Immediately after washing your eyes, you need to go to the emergency room for medical help. Delay may result in loss of vision.

If you wear contact lenses, you can try rinsing your eyes with a special solution or moisturizing drops.

If the solvent gets into your eye on the street, take care of disinfection. Rinse your eyelids with a strained solution of furatsilin or potassium permanganate.

If you get... something in your eye!

How to provide first aid for various eye injuries?

Correct actions in the first minutes after injury will facilitate further treatment and help avoid unpleasant consequences.

Situation 1. Bleach, washing powder, liquid from a car battery, etc. got into the eye.

In this case, they talk about chemical injury , in some situations - about a chemical burn of the eye.

What to do?

Rinse the eye with water at room temperature, if possible boiled. It is not advisable to expose your face to the stream from the tap. It is better to fill a rubber bulb with water and direct a thin stream into the eye. To get a good result, you need to rinse your eyes for 10–20 minutes. After this, any antibacterial drops (Albucid, Floxal, Colbiotsin, Tsipromed, Maxitrol, Tobrex, Levomycetin, etc.) should be dripped into the eyes. They will reduce the risk of inflammation. You can also use antibacterial eye ointment - apply a small amount behind the eyelid.

If the discomfort remains as strong for several hours, you need to consult a doctor - chemical exposure can lead to damage that is not noticeable to a non-specialist, but is very dangerous.

What can't you do?

Rinse your eye if there are particles of washing powder or other substance on its surface. Upon contact with water, they will begin to dissolve, and even more dangerous “chemistry” will get into the eye. First, visible particles need to be removed - like a speck, and only after that start washing.

Situation 2. Thermal damage was sustained, say, when lighting a fire or getting hot steam in the eyes in a bathhouse.

What to do?

Usually, with such an injury, it is not so much the eyes that are affected, but the eyelids, because we instinctively close our eyes when exposed to a stream of burning air. The eyelids must be lubricated with antibacterial ointment, but not immediately. First, drop antibacterial drops into your eyes, then apply a cloth moistened with cold water - it will speed up the cooling of the surface (it’s even better to use a furatsilin solution). And only after that apply the ointment.

The next step is to apply a sterile bandage to the eye. This is where the options for home remedies end. In case of thermal eye injury, a person necessarily needs professional help from an ophthalmologist.

What can't you do?

Send your family or friends to buy antibacterial eye ointment if you don’t have it at home. You shouldn’t waste time on this; it’s better to ask the people living with you to take you to a doctor or call an ambulance. In many cases, after thermal burns of the eye, the administration of anti-tetanus serum is required. So the sooner you see a specialist, the better.

In case of severe burns, you should never remove pieces of damaged tissue from your eyelids yourself - the risk of infection is too high.

Situation 3. A grain of sand, an eyelash, a midge, etc. got into the eye.

What to do?

First of all, you need to actively blink - perhaps this will be enough to remove the foreign body from the eye along with the tear fluid. If after this you still experience discomfort, go to the mirror and pull down the lower (or upper - depending on which part of the eye the discomfort is in). If you find an eyelash or speck, remove it with a handkerchief soaked in water.

A sterile bandage or a cotton swab, which also needs to be wet, is also suitable. Dry cotton wool cannot be used - its fibers may remain in the eye, which will only worsen the situation.

What can't you do?

Rub your eye. Otherwise, you can “drive” the speck deeper - onto the back surface of the eyelid or even into the cornea. In this case, only a doctor can remove the foreign body.

Situation 4. A twig “poked” your eye while walking in the forest, a sharp object hit your eye when you were setting up your dacha - in general, the eye was injured.

What to do?

Usually with such injuries the eyelids close. They need to be opened slightly - carefully, without pressing on the eyeball - and antibacterial drops should be instilled. After this, you should apply a bandage or cover your eye with a sterile napkin and immediately consult a doctor.

What can't you do?

Put off visiting a specialist until tomorrow, hoping that everything will go away on its own. Try to remove particles of the object that caused the injury from the eye.

Permanent address of the article: https://www.aif.ru/health/article/52940

When should you go to the hospital for help?

Immediately after washing your eyes, you should go to an ophthalmic emergency room .

This must be done no matter the outcome, even if it seems to you that the problem has passed and you have dealt with it on your own.

The chemical composition of the solvent always damages the cornea - only a doctor can determine the degree of damage.

Just in case, take sunglasses with you. Damaged eyes often become photosensitive and react to sunlight with pain and tearing.

Stay up to date! If you cannot get to the hospital on your own, ask for help accompanied by loved ones or call an ambulance.

First aid largely determines the outcome of the entire treatment, so act adequately and without delay.

Degree of eye burn

Almost all chemicals can irritate the mucous membranes of the eye, but serious damage occurs upon contact with strong alkalis and acids. Alkali burns occur most often, but they are also the most dangerous, especially with bilateral damage. Often such injuries result in visual impairment.

The severity of a chemical burn will depend on the volume, temperature and concentration of the irritant, duration of exposure and degree of penetration. In some circumstances, the person's age is also important: in general, children tend to have more severe burns.

There are four degrees of eye burn, but the mechanism of damage by alkalis and acids is different. The initial assessment of burn severity is based on the degree of corneal transparency and the severity of ischemia (blanching).

Degree of eye burn:

1. First degree (favorable prognosis). It is characterized by the absence of ischemia and the transparent state of the cornea.
2. Second degree (good prognosis). Ischemia affects a third of the limbus, there is clouding of the cornea, but details of the iris are visible.
3. Third degree (ambiguous prognosis). There is clouding of the corneal stroma, the epithelium is completely lost, ischemia from a third to half of the limbus masks the details of the iris.
4. Fourth degree (poor prognosis). Ischemia affects most of the limbus, and there is total opacification of the cornea.

What consequences might there be?

Most people have solvent in some form at home.

Even a small bottle of nail polish remover may contain pure acetone.

However, not everyone follows safety precautions when working with chemical liquids, which leads to injury.

Contact of the visual organs with a solvent is also not without consequences. On their list:

• increased intraocular pressure;
• decreased visual acuity;
• defects, perforations or scarring of the cornea ;
• scarring in the conjunctival ;
• blanching of the cornea;
• swelling of the conjunctiva as a result of the inflammatory process.

Note! You should always take precautions when using chemical solvents.

Wear safety glasses, a mask, and gloves. Always close the container tightly and store the solution out of the reach of children and animals.

Protective equipment when working in solvents

When working with solvents, it is worth remembering to protect three strategically important areas and organs of your body:

• Hands that come into direct contact with the solvent because chemical burns are possible;
• The nose and mouth are like respiratory organs, because you can inhale solvent vapors and get poisoned;
• Eyes, because accidental splashes can get into them.

Therefore, it is important to dress properly in order to minimize the possible harm of the solvent - put on an apron, hide your hair under a cap, protect your hands with gloves, your nose and mouth with a respirator, and your eyes with goggles.

• Gloves for working with solvents are needed to avoid skin contact. They must be waterproof - that is, not made of fabric, but of thick rubber or latex. Thin rubber products are not suitable for working with large volumes of organic solvent, as they can simply melt.
• The evaporation of solvents from the first and second groups is dangerous, therefore, to prevent a person from inhaling the solvent, he must protect his respiratory organs with a respirator.
• To prevent the solvent from getting into your eyes, you will need safety glasses; they can be purchased at a specialized hardware store.

When preparing to work with a solvent, it is important to assess not only the degree of its danger, but also the volume of work. If, for example, you just need to remove a small stain of paint from a tile, and you use regular gasoline for this, then you can do without enhanced safety measures (although gloves will still not be superfluous). But if you have to spend several hours working with solvents, especially with hazardous compounds and in a small room, then you will need all the listed protective equipment.

What should be done for subsequent treatment after first aid?

Upon admission to the ophthalmology department with a complaint of a chemical burn to the eyeball, be prepared to be repeatedly rinsed with saline and treated with anti-inflammatory ointments.

You will also need to undergo a series of diagnostic tests for:

• Assessment of the degree of burn to the eyeball.
• Assessment of the level of mucosal damage.
• Checking the preservation of visual acuity.

Keep in mind! To treat a burn at home, doctors most often prescribe the following groups of medications:

• Preparations to accelerate local regeneration of eyeball tissue: drops, ointments, etc.
• Painkillers – for internal and external use.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs - rinsing solutions, ointments, drops.
• Antibiotics – if an inflammatory process is suspected.

Solvents, regardless of their purpose, are highly toxic.

When it comes into contact with the epidermis, areas of hyperemia appear.

Intense pain is observed at the site of contact.

If the solvent gets into the eyes, complete loss of vision is possible.

Symptoms of a chemical burn when it comes into contact with the eyes are severe. Before providing first aid, you must immediately call an ambulance.

As a result of the solvent getting into the visual apparatus, the following symptoms are observed:

• intense pain in the contact area;
• strong closure of the eyelids;
• redness of the affected area;
• intense production of tears;
• burning;
• the appearance of a veil in front of the visual apparatus.

The intensity of symptoms depends on the time of contact of the caustic liquid with the mucous membranes or eyelids and the concentration of the reagent. The main rule in case of solvent ingress is timely and urgent assistance from medical personnel. If the visual apparatus comes into contact with the reagent, you must not get confused and provide quick first aid before the ambulance arrives. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate contact with the caustic substance and mucous membranes. The first steps for eye contact with a solvent are:

1. Rinse eyes with plenty of running water.
2. Immediately call an ambulance or take the patient to a medical facility yourself. Travel time should take a minimum amount of time.

It is prohibited to carry out additional manipulations, except for washing under running water:

• It is not recommended to rub the damaged area;
• It is unacceptable to apply a cold or warm compress;
• It is prohibited to lubricate the area of ​​eye contact with the solvent with greasy ointments or sprinkle with starch;
• Do not wipe the solvent with towels or cotton swabs;
• first aid does not cancel calling an ambulance.

After the patient is admitted to a medical facility, the level of vision is diagnosed:

• determine the clarity of the picture;
• assess eyelid damage;
• study the degree of burn to the eyeball;
• the substance damaging the mucous membrane is removed.

To treat burns caused by solvent ingress, medications are prescribed:

To prevent solvent from entering the visual apparatus, special protective glasses must be used. The caustic liquid, in contact with the eyeball, penetrates into the deep layers. To eliminate possible introduction of chemicals through your hands, you must work exclusively with gloves.

The consequences of contact of the visual apparatus with solvents are:

• reduced picture clarity;
• increased blood pressure in the eye cavity;
• formation of defects on the cornea;
• hyperemia and swelling of the conjunctiva, which indicates the presence of an inflammatory process;
• blanching of the cornea;
• scarring in the conjunctival area;
• corneal perforation.

Working with solvents greatly simplifies everyday chores. However, when interacting with a caustic substance, it is necessary to take care in advance about the availability of special clothing that will prevent possible chemical liquid from entering the visual apparatus. In the event of unexpected contact with a caustic liquid on the mucous membrane, you must remain calm and adhere to the first aid steps.

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How to remove a speck from your eye?

If foreign bodies get into the eye, do not rub it with your fingers. Any removal actions should be performed exclusively with clean hands! Often, crumbs, dust particles, soot, mascara, eyelashes, and flies get into the eyes. And in the summer, you can expect to bring back “eyes full” of sand from the beach. At the same time, it is advisable to independently remove only specks that are located very close. In more serious situations, it is better to apply a sterile, non-pressure bandage and seek medical help from an ophthalmologist.

You can try to remove grains of sand and other small foreign bodies by dropping warm boiled water into the eye. If you do not have a pipette at hand, the affected eye should be rinsed. To do this, pour warm water into a container, lower your face into it and blink longer, then the water will simply wash away the obstacle. They do the same thing by scooping up water in their palms.

If the foreign body is behind the lower eyelid, slightly pull the eyelid down with your index finger and then rinse the eye. You can pick up a speck from the surface of the mucous membrane with a damp cotton pad or moistened with a piece of cotton wool. It is undesirable to use dry cotton wool wrapped around a match, because such manipulations can injure the eye or leave cotton wool fibers inside the eye.

If sand gets under the upper eyelid, it needs to be pulled back and gently tugged back and forth several times. If the attempt is unsuccessful, it is better to use the eyelid eversion technique.