Chemical eye injury are due to either an acidic or alkali substance getting in the eye.[1] Alkalis are typically worse than acidic burns.[2] Mild burns will produce conjunctivitis while more severe burns may cause the cornea to turn white.[2] Litmus paper is an easy way to rule out the diagnosis by verifying that the pH is within the normal range of 7.0—7.2.[1] Large volumes of irrigation is the treatment of choice and should continue until the pH is 6–8.[2] Local anesthetic eye drops can be used to decrease the pain.[2]
In the United States, chemical eye injuries most commonly occur among working-age adults.[3] A 2016 analysis of emergency department visits from 2010 to 2013 reported over 36,000 visits annually for chemical burns to the eye, with a median age at presentation of 32 years.[4] By individual year of age, 1- and 2-year-old children have the highest incidence of these injuries, with rates approximately 50% higher than the highest-risk adult group (25 years), and 13 times higher than the rate among 7-year-olds.[4] Further research identified laundry detergent pods as a major source of injury among small children.[5]