Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 6: Prepare the correct method
• Method 2 of 6: Administer the eye wash using a scale
• Method 3 of 6: Administer the eye wash with a cup
• Method 4 of 6: Administer the eye wash with a pipette
• Method 5 of 6: Make your own eye wash
• Method 6 of 6: Rinse your eyes in an emergency
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

An eyewash doesn't just belong in places where dangerous chemicals are used, such as in chemistry laboratories. In households where cleaning products are used and where children live, you should also have quick ways to flush out hazardous substances. Even if it's not an emergency, it can sometimes be nice to rinse your eyes so that you can soothe your tired, burning eyes by moisturizing them and boosting blood flow. Medical professionals recommend an eye wash in other situations as well. Knowing how to make a good eye wash solution will prepare you for all kinds of different eye cleaning situations.

To step

Method 1 of 6: Prepare the correct method

1. Assess whether immediate medical attention is needed. Some substances can cause burns or other complications. Check the chemical's label to make sure an eye wash is the correct treatment. You can always call the National Poisons Information Center (NVIC) on 030-274 8888 to find out what to do if you get a certain substance in your eyes.
   • Get medical help immediately if you develop other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache or light-headedness, double or reduced vision, dizziness or loss of consciousness, and a rash or fever.
   • If an eye wash isn't enough in your situation, call the NVIC and seek medical attention. Also call someone who can accompany you to the emergency room or doctor.
2. Decide how long to rinse your eyes. How long you have to rinse your eyes depends on the substance that got into it. These times can vary a lot. Keep the following times:
   • Five minutes with mildly irritating chemicals such as soap or shampoo.
   • Twenty minutes or more for moderate to severe irritants, such as hot peppers.
   • Twenty minutes for non-penetrating corrosive substances such as battery acid.
   • At least sixty minutes with penetrating corrosive substances such as lye (sink drain cleaner), bleach and ammonia.
3. Have an eye wash at home. Drugstore or pharmacy eye wash is sterile and has a neutral pH of 7.0. That's why an eye wash is always better than regular tap water.
4. Use sterilized water. If you don't have an eye wash solution at home, use sterilized water. Tap water can contain substances that can irritate the eyes even more.
   • You can also use mineral water.
   • Milk can soothe the burning sensation if you get pepper in your eye. But make sure to also use sterilized water to rinse your eyes. Also make sure that the milk is not yet sour, because then you will get bacteria in your eye.
5. Make sure the solution is at the right temperature. Especially if you use a combination of milk and sterilized water, it is important that the liquid does not come straight from the refrigerator. Whatever you use to rinse your eye, make sure the temperature is between 15ºC and 37ºC.
6. Choose a method to administer the eye wash. You need to find a way to get the liquid into your eye in a safe and clean way. You can use certain household items for this, such as a bowl, a small cup or a pipette. Whatever you use, make sure to clean it thoroughly with soap and water and let it dry thoroughly before putting in the sterile eye wash or sterilized water.
   • A bowl is the best choice, whether you want to rinse a dangerous substance or dirt out of your eyes, or just want to soothe your tired eyes.
   • You can also use a small cup that fits snugly around your eye socket, such as a shot glass. You can only use this to rinse a corrosive substance from your eyes, or if you have tired eyes, but not if you have a dirt in your eye.
   • You can only use a pipette if you have dry or tired eyes.

Method 2 of 6: Administer the eye wash using a scale

1. Take a bowl. Administering the eye wash with the help of a bowl is the best method if you want to rinse a dangerous substance or dirt from your eye. You can also use it to soothe tired eyes. The thoroughly cleaned shell should be large enough to fit your entire face.
2. Fill the bowl with the eye wash. Whether you use a store-bought eye wash or plain water, make sure it is between 15ºC and 37ºC. Don't fill the bowl all the way to the brim or it will overflow when you put your face in it.
3. Dip your face in the shell. Take a deep breath and submerge your entire face in the bowl so that your eyes are in the liquid. Do not tilt your head too far forward, or you will get water in your nose.
4. Open your eyes and twist with them. Make sure that the entire surface of the eye is in contact with the water. If you follow certain rotating patterns with your eyes, the water will come into the eye and you will get rid of the dangerous substance or dirt.
5. Take your head out of the bowl and blink. Remove your face from the liquid. By blinking a few times you can be sure that the eye wash is well distributed over your entire eye.
6. Repeat if necessary. For dry, tired eyes, you can simply dip into the bowl once or twice to soothe your eyes. But if you want to rinse something out, stick to Method 1 guidelines to know how long to continue rinsing.
7. Dry your face with a clean towel. Do not rub your eyes. Pat your closed eyelids dry with a clean, dry piece of the towel.

Method 3 of 6: Administer the eye wash with a cup

1. Do not use this method if you have something in your eye. This method is best for tired eyes. If there is a caustic substance in your eye, the previous method with the scale is better. If you want to use this method for anything other than eye strain, see an eye doctor.
2. Fill a small, clean cup or glass with an eye wash. Fill a small, clean cup about the diameter of your eyeball. A well-cleaned shot glass, for example, is very suitable for this.
   • The eye wash should be between 15ºC and 37ºC.
3. Hold the cup firmly against your eye. Tilt your head down and put the cup firmly against your eye.
4. Then tilt your head back so that your face (and your eye) are facing up. The liquid will now enter your eye.
   • Be prepared to spill - it's best to hang over a sink so the water doesn't run over your face and clothes. If you're worried about that, put a towel for you like a bib.
5. Look around and blink. Rotating your eyes and blinking can get the fluid to all areas of the eye, making them well hydrated or flushing out the dirt.
6. Repeat if necessary. Lower your head and remove the cup, without spilling the liquid on yourself. Perhaps a rinse once is enough if you have dry, tired eyes. But if there is something in your eye, you may need to repeat it again.
7. Dry your face with a clean towel. Do not rub your eyes. Pat your closed eyelids dry with a clean, dry piece of the towel.

Method 4 of 6: Administer the eye wash with a pipette

1. Do not use this method if you have something in your eye. This method is best for rinsing the eyes of small children if they do not yet understand the previous methods. If there's something in your eye, the scale method is best.
2. Fill a clean pipette with the liquid. Dip the tip of a clean pipette in the water, then squeeze and release the rubber top to draw water into the pipette.
   • If you can find a sterile straw, you can use that too, as long as it doesn't have a sharp tip.
3. Squeeze a few drops of the liquid into your eye. Tilt your head back, hold the pipette just above your open eye and squeeze the bulb to release a few drops of the liquid.
   • Be careful not to touch your eye with the tip of the pipette.
4. Blink a few times. To distribute the liquid well all over the eye, you will need to blink a few times. Blink before the liquid rolls down your cheeks.
5. Repeat if necessary. Perhaps a rinse once is enough if you have dry, tired eyes. But if there is something in your eye, you may need to repeat it again.
6. Try it with a towel. An alternative method for young children is to dip the tip of a clean towel in the liquid and gently dab it over the child's eyelid. Pushing very gently will cause some liquid to flow over the eyes and eyelashes, which will be spread through the eye as the child opens and blinks.
   • Repeat if necessary, but use a clean piece of the towel each time, or take a new towel.

Method 5 of 6: Make your own eye wash

1. Boil water. Note that it is always better to use an eye wash from the drug store than a homemade one. No matter how careful you are, there is always the risk that you will only irritate your eyes more or get them inflamed. However, if you understand the risks and still want to make your own flush, there are precautions you can take to make sure your fluid is as clean and safe as possible. Start boiling the water to kill any bacteria and other organisms that could infect your eye. Bring the water to a boil and let it boil for a minute before allowing it to cool.
   • Rather use sterilized or filtered water than regular tap water. Tap water contains more bacteria and additives than sterilized water.
   • If you don't want to rinse, you can also use regular tap water - but be aware that this can irritate more and that you are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria.
2. Add salt to the water. For a homemade eye wash, add a teaspoon of table salt per 250 ml of water while it is boiling. The more it resembles tears (salt concentration), the smaller the shock will be to your eyes. Although the salt content of your tears varies depending on whether the tears were created because of emotions (pain, grief, etc.), or simply if the lubricant needed to keep your eyes moist, tears usually contain no more than 1% salt .
3. Stir to dissolve the salt. Make sure the salt is completely dissolved in the water. Since the water is boiling and you have used very little salt, it should dissolve quickly. Stir until you see no more grains on the bottom.
4. Let the solution cool down. Never use hot water to rinse your eyes. You can seriously injure yourself or even go blind if you get too hot water in your eye. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. You can also put it in another container or bottle, as long as it has been thoroughly cleaned with soap and sterilized water. If the solution is at room temperature (or lower) you can use it.
   • Cover the solution while it cools to prevent dirt or bacteria from getting in.
   • If you put the solution nice and cool, it has a refreshing effect on the eyes. However, do not use an eye wash colder than 18ºC. That can hurt and even damage your eyes.
   • Even though you have tried very hard to keep the solution clean, you should still throw it away after a day or two. It may also contain new bacteria after cooking.

Method 6 of 6: Rinse your eyes in an emergency

1. Know when to rinse your eyes right away. In some cases, for example, if you've gotten a corrosive substance in your eyes, don't worry about whether the eye wash is sterile. Most importantly, rinse your eyes immediately and then seek medical attention. If you accidentally get a chemical acid or other caustic or irritant in your eyes, stop immediately with what you do and rinse your eyes with water.
2. Call the National Poison Information Center (NVIC). You can reach the NVIC 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 030-274 8888 for advice. They may advise you to immediately flush your eyes or go to the emergency room, depending on the substance that has gotten into your eyes.
   • Some chemicals, such as alkali metals, for example, react very violently to water. The NVIC can tell you exactly what to do in such a case.
   • If they advise calling 911 and also rinsing your eyes, have someone else call the emergency number so you can rinse your eyes. The sooner you get to the hospital, the more likely you are to avoid serious injury or blindness.
3. Use an eye wash station. Most places where hazardous chemicals are handled have a special eye wash station. Immediately go to such an eye wash station, press the button (which should be brightly marked) and put your face in front of the water spouts, which will spray water at low pressure. Keep your eyes open as wide as possible - you may need to use your fingers for that.
4. Rinse your eyes for 15 minutes. Water doesn't neutralize most chemicals - it just dilutes and rinses them away. That's why you need large amounts of water. You should rinse your eyes with at least 1.5 liters per minute for 15 minutes.
5. If there is no eyewash station, use tap water. If you can't find an eye wash station right away, or if it just isn't there, get to the sink as soon as possible. Tap water is not ideal for rinsing your eyes because it is not as sterile as sterilized water used in labs, but it is far more important to get the chemical out of your eyes as soon as possible than to get an infection. rises. Pour as much water into your open eye as possible. Keep doing this for 15-20 minutes.
   • If your sink has a pull-out faucet, aim the jet directly at your eye, at low pressure and with lukewarm water, and keep your eye open with your fingers.
6. Seek medical attention. If the National Poison Information Center has advised you to seek medical attention after flushing, do so.

Tips

• Make sure to use clean liquid for each eye or you could transfer bacteria.
• You can buy a pack containing sterile liquid and an eye bath at the drugstore that you can use to administer an eye wash.

Warnings

• Don't use too much salt. Too much salt can burst cells and it can be very painful.
• Do not use water that is too cold or too hot.
• Check if there is a relevant safety protocol when you work with chemicals, such as the mandatory wearing of eye protection. Safety precautions can never fully guarantee that you will not be injured, but they can significantly reduce the likelihood of this happening.

Necessities

• A large bowl
• A small cup or glass
• Lukewarm water
• Towel / paper handkerchief
• Pipette
• Saline solution