Burns to the Eye
Emergencies
Yes Do you have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment? Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
- Sudden partial or complete vision loss occurs after a burn to the eyes.
- Severe pain continues after 30 minutes of flushing a chemical from the eye.
Check Your Symptoms
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.
Yes Do you have a chemical burn to your eye? Immediately flush your eye with cool water for 30 minutes.
Yes Have you had a heat (thermal) injury to your eye?
Yes Have you had eye problems after an ultraviolet (UV) light exposure? Note: You may not have any symptoms for 6 to 8 hours after exposure to ultraviolet light.
Yes Do you think you have an infection after a burn to your eye?
Other Symptoms to Watch For
Do you have any of the following symptoms?
- An eye injury: Go to the topic Eye Injuries.
- An object in your eye: Go to the topic Objects in the Eye.
- An eye problem without an eye injury, such as pain, blurred vision, or blood in the eye: Go to the topic Eye Problems, Noninjury.
- Blisters on the face and around the eyes: Go to the topic Sunburn.
- Burns to the eyelid: Go to the topic Burns.
If a visit to a health professional is not needed immediately, see the Home Treatment section for self-care information.
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| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: December 6, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Topic Overview | |
 | Emergencies |
| Check Your Symptoms | |
| Home Treatment | |
| Prevention | |
| Preparing For Your Appointment | |
| Related Information | |
| Credits | |