Eye injury, chemical burn

T26.9+(X49.99)

This is a medical emergency.

• Description
• General measures
• Medicine treatment
• Referral

DESCRIPTION

Damage to one or both eyes caused by contact with irritating chemical substances e.g. alkali or acid.

Presents with:

• pain
• blurred vision
• inability to open eye
• excessive teary and watery eye

GENERAL MEASURES

• Irrigate or wash the eye immediately and continuously with clean water or sodium chloride 0.9% for at least 20 minutes.
• In severe alkaline burn cases, irrigation should be prolonged further.

MEDICINE TREATMENT

Local anaesthetic if needed:

• Tetracaine 1% eye drops, instil 1 drop in the affected eye(s).
  • Repeat irrigation of the eye.
  • Evert upper eyelid and remove debris with cotton bud.
  • Never give anaesthetic drops to the patient to take home as they can cause blindness if used too often.
• Chloramphenicol 1%, ophthalmic ointment, applied 6 hourly.

Pain:

Children

• Paracetamol, oral, 10-15 mg/kg/dose 6 hourly when required. See Paediatric dosing tool.

Adults

• Paracetamol, oral, 1 g 4–6 hourly when required.
  • Maximum dose: 15 mg/kg/dose.
  • Maximum dose: 4 g in 24 hours.

REFERRAL

All cases within 12 hours.