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Corneal superficial injury - Management
How do I manage an ocular chemical injury in primary care?
- Remove contact lenses if present.
- Immediately irrigate the affected eye thoroughly with water or 0.9% saline for at least 10–15 minutes, and arrange for the person to go for urgent ophthalmological assessment.
Clarification / Additional information
- Acidic and alkaline solutions may cause corneal burns. Alkaline solutions in particular may penetrate all layers of the eye and find their way into the chambers, causing iritis, anterior and posterior synechia, corneal opacification, cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal atrophy.
Basis for recommendation
- These recommendations are based on published expert opinion from the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) [NPIS, 2007].
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