Eye Injury

There are about 1000 serious accidental eye injuries in children in the UK every year. These injuries can range from scratches to the surface of the eye and chemical burns and having foreign objects in the eye.

The advice below should help you decide whether your child’s eye injury requires further help or whether it can be managed by yourself at home.

If your child has a red eye but has not injured it please click here

How can you care for eye injuries at home?

Wash out the affected eye  

• If the eye has been exposed to chemicals or fine particles like sand or grit.
• Do not wash the eye if injury involved significant force or you can see any cuts to the eye itself
• Use clean water (not hot) – this can be from a tap, shower, or bottled water if you're not at home
• Hold the eye open
• Run lots of water over the eyeball for at least 20 minutes
• Make sure the flow of water is not too strong.

Pain relief

• Give simple pain relief like paracetamol or ibuprofen as required. Do not take more than the recommended dose on the instructions

Other

• Lightly cover the eye to prevent your child from rubbing it

Think prevention

• Children who play sports should wear protective goggles or unbreakable glasses as needed.
• Keep chemicals and other hazardous objects/products out of reach of children.
• Supervise your child when they are playing with toys or Nerf guns.
• Make sure your child has age-appropriate toys.
• Make sure all safety equipment meets national standards.
• Make sure sharp edges, such as table corners, are covered if your child is toddling around.