Version July 2025
Please read the Disclaimer at the end of this page.
What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
You came to the ED for a chemical eye injury. This is when a chemical gets into the eye and causes a burn or other injury.
Different chemicals can cause different kinds of injuries to the eye. How serious your injury is depends on what chemical got into your eye, for how long, and how far into your eye the chemical spread.
The doctor flushed out your eye in the ED and thinks you do not have any permanent eye damage. You can recover at home.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also do the following:
●Call your regular doctor and tell them you were in the ED. You might have been told to make a follow-up appointment with an eye doctor within 24 hours to have your eye checked.
●If the doctor gave you any eye drops or eye ointments, use them as instructed.
●Do not press on or rub your eyes.
●If you wear contacts, you might have to stop wearing them for a while. If so, your eye doctor will tell you when you can start wearing them again. Once you do, use a new pair of contacts and a new contact case.
●Always wash your hands before and after you touch your eyes.
●To help prevent getting another chemical eye injury:
•Wear safety glasses or goggles when you work with harmful chemicals.
•Wash your hands after using chemicals that could hurt your eyes.
•Keep cleaning supplies out of the reach of children.
When should I get emergency help?
●Return to the ED if you:
•Have very bad eye pain
•Have eye pain every time you blink
•Have a change in your eyesight
•Have a cloudy spot or sore on the front of your eye
•Cannot look at bright lights
•Have blurred eyesight, tearing, or blinking
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if you have:
●Signs of an eye infection, like swelling, redness, warmth, pain, or drainage from the eye
●New or worsening symptoms
Patient education: Chemical eye injury (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use eye medicines (The Basics)
