Burns To The Eye: Check Your Symptoms

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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.

Last updated:	December 06, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer