Chemical eye injury are due to either an

acidic In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a ...

or alkali substance getting in the eye. Alkalis are typically worse than acidic burns. Mild burns will produce

conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is inflammation of the outermost layer of the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid. It makes the eye appear pink or reddish. Pain, burning, scratchiness, or itchiness may occur. The ...

while more severe burns may cause the

cornea The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and lens, the cornea refracts light, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical ...

to turn white.

Litmus paper Litmus is a water-soluble mixture of different dyes extracted from lichens. It is often absorbed onto filter paper to produce one of the oldest forms of pH indicator, used to test materials for acidity. It is a purple dye that is extracte ...

is an easy way to rule out the diagnosis by verifying that the pH is within the normal range of 7.0—7.2. Large volumes of irrigation is the treatment of choice and should continue until the pH is 6–8.

Local anesthetic A local anesthetic (LA) is a medication that causes absence of pain sensation. In the context of surgery, a local anesthetic creates an absence of pain in a specific location of the body without a loss of consciousness, as opposed to a general a ...

eye drops can be used to decrease the pain.

Epidemiology

In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, chemical eye injuries most commonly occur among working-age adults. A 2016 analysis of emergency department visits from 2010 to 2013 reported over 36,000 visits annually for chemical burns to the eye, with a median age at presentation of 32 years. By individual year of age, 1- and 2-year-old children have the highest incidence of these injuries, with rates approximately 50% higher than the highest-risk adult group (25 years), and 13 times higher than the rate among 7-year-olds. Further research identified

laundry detergent pods Laundry refers to the washing of clothing and other textiles, and, more broadly, their drying and ironing as well. Laundry has been part of history since humans began to wear clothes, so the methods by which different cultures have dealt with t ...

as a major source of injury among small children.

References

Disorders of conjunctiva {{eye-stub