Eye Injuries

Overview

Minor eye injuries, such as shampoo or dust in your eye, often get better on their own within a day. Get medical help if you have a chemical in your eye or something pierces it.

Immediate First Aid Steps

How to treat an eye injury at home

Do:

• wash your eye with clean water if there's something in it
• follow the advice on the packaging if any cosmetics or household products get in your eyes
• take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen to help ease any pain or discomfort

Don’t:

• do not try to remove any object that's pierced your eye
• do not touch or rub your eye until it's better
• do not wear make-up around your eye until it's better
• do not wear contact lenses until your eye is better

You should:

1. use clean water (not hot) – this can be from a tap, shower, or bottled water if you're not at home
2. hold your eye open
3. run lots of water over your eyeball for at least 20 minutes

When To Seek Medical Help

Call an ambulance or seek immediate medical help (e.g. Emergency Department) if:

• a strong chemical, such as oven cleaner or bleach, is in your eye – keep rinsing your eye with water while waiting for medical help
• a sharp object has pierced your eye
• something has hit your eye at high speed – for example, while using power tools or mowing the lawn
• there are any changes to your sight after an eye injury
• you have a headache, high temperature or sensitivity to light
• you're feeling sick or being sick after an eye injury
• you cannot move your eye or keep it open
• blood or pus is coming from your eye

Do not drive yourself to the Emergency Department. Ask someone to drive you or call an ambulance instead.

Get urgent medical help or see a GP if:

• you've injured your eye and it is not getting better after 24 hours
• you're worried about an eye injury

Other Eye Injuries

There are separate information pages about:

• what to do if you have a black eye
• what to do if you have a red eye