Check Your Symptoms

Home Treatment

Home treatment may relieve your eye symptoms.

Immediately flush the eye with cool water. This is the first step in first aid for a chemical burn or first aid for a heat burn to the eye. Fill a sink or dishpan with water. Put your face in the water, then open and close your eyelids to force water to all parts of your eye.

Eye injury to a child

Applying first aid measures for an eye injury to a child may be difficult depending on the child's age, size, and ability to cooperate. Having another adult help you treat the child is helpful. Stay calm, and talk in a soothing voice. Use slow, gentle movements to help the child remain calm and cooperative. A struggling child may need to be held strongly so that first aid can be started and the seriousness of the eye injury assessed.

Symptoms to watch for during home treatment

Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:

• Decreased, double, or blurred vision doesn't clear with blinking.
• Pain increases or continues.
• Signs of infection develop.
• Symptoms become more severe or more frequent.