CHEMICAL EYE INJURIES
CAUSE: Alkalis (Bases)
– Alkalis (bases) are chemicals with a high pH.
The higher the number (8 or above) the stronger the base.
– Examples at home: bleach, fertilizers, cleaning products
(ammonia), drain cleaners (lye), oven cleaners, and plaster
or cement (lime).
– These are MOST dangerous to the human eye!
– Examples at the lab: ammonia, methyl amine (methynol),
photo chemicals (barium hydroxide), potassium hydroxide,
and sodium hydroxide.
– Ask your chemistry teacher which substances in your
school’s lab are alkali.
Alkalis can penetrate
the surface of an eye,
entering the stroma and
endothelium, the last
layers of the cornea
which is the clear layer
that makes up the
surface of your eye.
The cornea receives its nourishment from tears and the
aqueous humor, which fills the chambers behind the
structure. The outer epithelial layer of the cornea is
packed with thousands of small nerve endings,
making the cornea extremely sensitive to pain when
rubbed or scratched.
CAUSE: Acid Injuries
Acids are chemicals with a low pH
(below 7, lower=stronger)
Hydrofluoric acid may be in rust removers, toilet
bowl cleaners, water spot stain removers, tar
removers, mag wheel cleaners, metal cleaners, and
glass etching use.
– Other than Hydrofluoric acid, ACID burns tend to
result in less severe injury to the human eye than
ALKALI burns.
– Acids will usually bind with tissue proteins causing
coagulation, stopping further penetration.
– Examples: car batteries, vinegar, nail polish
remover.
NOT your Chemical Romance….
Besides chemical BURNS to the eye,
Chemicals have also been known to…
EXPLODE.
Chemicals and GLASS can spray in all directions.
NEVER use chemicals without eye protection!
Read about actual lab accidents…
• #1. Bad News: A laboratory worker was pouring
chloroform though a gel column inside a fume hood.
Due to incorrect equipment configuration, pressure
built up in the column and caused the glassware at
the top of the column to break, spraying chloroform
out of the hood, to the worker’s face, eyes and
clothing.
The laboratory worker was wearing simple safety
glasses, rather than chemical splash goggles. The
chloroform seeped through the opening at the top
of the glasses and burned both eyes.
Lab Accidents, continued…
• #2. More Bad News: A 15½ year old boy was granted
access to the school chemistry laboratory for the
specific purpose of assembling apparatus for an
experiment to be conducted during chemistry class,
later that day. While there, he made an explosive
compound according to his own recipe (i.e., not in the
school's laboratory manual). The explosion blinded his
left eye, mangled his left hand so that it required
amputation, and perforated his stomach with glass.
• #3. Conclusion? Wear protection in the lab – the
RIGHT protection!
Now, read on….
Good News and Bad News
• Good News: Students in a high school chemistry class
were studying the difference between mixtures and
compounds. … The sample was heated to bring about
the desired reaction.
• Bad News: Unfortunately some of the students were
much faster than others and the two parts of the
experiment were occurring at the same time. One
student placed her solution of sulfur and carbon
disulfide in the chemical crock and put the cover back
on. Shortly thereafter a second student placed a hot test
tube in the crock.
• More Bad News: The resulting explosion sent broken
glass flying in all directions!
The Rest
of the Story
• Really Good News: Fortunately all the students were
wearing goggles and (that’s right!) no one was hurt.
• Conclusion#1: High school chemistry classes ROCK!
• Conclusion #2: Of course, wear the right protection
EVERY TIME.
Other CAUSES of Chemical Injury
Irritants:
– Chemicals with a neutral pH of 7.
– Generally cause discomfort (that’s
still pain) rather than “damage.”
– Most detergents are irritants.
Chemical Fumes:
-- Even exposure to chemical FUMES
can burn the eye!
-- Proper ventilation is required
when dealing with chemicals
CHEMICAL Injury Complications
-- Chemicals can damage the epithelium
(the outermost layer of the cornea) which
can be irreversible and require surgery.
-- Chemicals can perforate
the cornea.
<-- Chemicals can cause corneal scarring
resulting in reduced visual acuity (sharpness)
that can never be corrected by glasses!
Avoiding CHEMICAL Injuries
Prevention
– Cover Goggles (also called “Splash” Goggles)
are the most common protectors.
– Eye/Face Shields enhance safety.
Protection
-- Splash Goggles form a protective seal
around the eyes which prevents objects or
liquids from entering.
-- Designed and tested to resist impact.
-- Can be worn over prescription glasses.
Listen to your intuition…wear goggles!
Eye Injury Simulation I
• Wear your Goggles!
• How do the “egg” eyes hold up to a
strong acid?
• How do they hold up to a strong alkali?
CHEMICAL INJURIES
First Aid
•
Call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.
•
Go to the nearest water source and flush the eye for 15
minutes. If an official eye-wash station is not available, a
water fountain is often around. A faucet or jug of clean
water would be OK. Just do it. Do NOT RUB the eye!
Rubbing may cause more injury.
•
After flushing out the eye, you may still need to
go to the Emergency Room. Remember to take the
bottle of the chemical (or a pamphlet that came with it)
as this will help the doctor properly treat your eye.
Chemical Injuries
Preventing
Eye
Injuries
Chemical
Impact
Blunt Impact
Penetration
Heat
Splash (Cover) Goggles
and/or Face Shield
Safety Specs
Sports Glasses
Spec Frames
Safety Specs
Welding
Sun
Laser
Tanning Bed
Optical Radiation
Face Shield
100% UV Sunglasses
Special Purpose
Special Purpose
Special Purpose
IMPACT INJURIES
CAUSES of Impact Injuries
• BLUNT Impact eye injuries occur when
objects larger than the eye socket strike
the eye.
A blunt impact injury forces the eye back
into its socket causing damage to the
surface and inner structures of the eye.
CAUSES of Impact Injuries
• IMPACT Penetration eye injuries occur when
objects smaller than the eye socket
strike the eye.
The severity of impact penetration eye injuries
depends on the object’s mass, speed, size,
hardness, sharpness, location of
the impact, and predisposition
of the individual to eye injury.
Gun Injury
• Two boys were hit in the eye with a paintball resulting in the lenses
being knocked out of place, blood in the eye, and damage to the
drainage structures where the cornea and iris join. Cataract
extraction was required in both cases.
• One boy also had optic nerve damage and a ruptured choroid layer,
the middle layer that contains the blood vessels. This kind of injury
usually leads to loss of vision and at times loss of the eye.
• Paintball guns can cause devastating eye injuries. Wearing
protective eye and face gear during this game is a MUST!
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH)
recommends anti-fog face mask with an eye shield
be worn by paintball players.
PROTECTION and PREVENTION
• Safety spectacles have lenses made out of high impact
plastic and protect from flying fragments, objects, large
chips and particles, even simple branches and twigs from
doing yard work.
• Sports glasses have frames made out of high impact
plastic or polycarbonate and rubber padding to protect
the nose and temple area, may be prescription.
• Spectacle frames can be made out of metal or plastic.
Steve Yzerman suffered a serious eye injury when hit by a puck in
the 2004 playoffs. The Red Wings captain used to be opposed to
wearing a visor…but changed his mind. NOW he DOES.
Impact COMPLICATIONS
• Most blunt impact eye injuries are mild but can lead to more
serious injuries such as retinal detachment, cataract and blowout fracture (orbital bones fracture allowing the eye to fall out).
• Impact penetration eye injuries can lacerate (rip) surface
structures of the eye such as the lid, conjunctiva, sclera, cornea
and lens.
• Long term and permanent vision loss from corneal scarring, lens
displacement, internal bleeding, torn or prolapsed (displaced or
fallen) iris and rupture can occur when the eye suffers impact
injury.
Dust Dangers
Unprotected eyes are at risk from dust: sand, dirt, wood
shavings, concrete mix, powder, or dust from sanding, buffing,
grinding, stamping, sawing, shaping, turning, milling or drilling
of any solid material (wood, metal, concrete, etc). The smallest
specks can scratch delicate tissue!
Always choose protective goggles
that hug your face if you are going
to be exposed to dust & debris.
If your eye is scratched even a tiny amount, you may have a LOT of
pain….and even a tiny scratch leaves your eyes vulnerable to
infections that can cause permanent damage…even blindness.
Dust or Dirt in Your Eye?
IF you take care of it quickly, you can reduce damage:
so…NEVER RUB!
1. Wash your hands really well first.
2. Rinse your eyes with clean water.
3. Check your eyes in the mirror, to make sure you got
everything.*
4. Repeat as needed.
5.*Check with your eye care professional to be sure.
Eye Injury Simulation II
• Wear your Goggles or Safety Specs!
• How do your “egg” eyes hold up to blunt and
penetration impact?
• How do your “flubber” eyes hold up to blunt
and penetration impact?
FIRST AID: Impact Injuries
BLUNT Impact:
PENETRATION Impact:
Immediately apply ice packs to a
blunt eye injury to reduce
swelling and ease the pain and
swelling of a black eye.
Shield the eye (cover with a
paper cup) but do NOT apply ice
or ANY pressure to an eye that
has been punctured!
Lacerations (rips) to any area
surrounding the eye or a part of
the eye need immediate medical
attention!
Do NOT attempt to REMOVE a
foreign body from the eye: you
could make it worse! Get
immediate medical attention!
More Impact Injury FIRST AID
• Do NOT RUB the eye!
Rubbing may cause MORE damage!
• Do NOT FLUSH the eye or add
medication in these cases.
• Immediately go to the nearest
Emergency Room! The ER staff can
properly assess an impact eye injury.
Don’t wait!
Blunt Impact Injury
Sports?
Make sure your coaches have the right
tools to keep your team’s eyes safe. Ask
them if they’ve been to
www.playhardgear.com .
Always Wear Protective Eyewear.
For more, click here:
“Play Hard. Don’t Blink.”
Penetration Impact Injury
Preventing
Eye
Injuries
Chemical
Impact
Blunt Impact
Penetration
Heat
Cover Goggles
Safety Specs
Sports Glasses
Spec Frames
Safety Specs
Welding
Sun
Laser
Tanning Bed
Optical Radiation
Face Shield
100% UV Sunglasses
Special Purpose
Special Purpose
Special Purpose