disaster 5th 1108_5th ed 2011 - Homeland Security and Emergency ...

If the injury is from a chemical:
• Call your local Poison Control Center (or 1-800-222-1222
in the U.S.) and have name of chemical handy, if possible.
• If victim is wearing contact lenses, ask Poison Control if
they should be removed and whether to keep or dispose of
them! If okay and able to take out, ask victim to remove
lenses.
• Have victim lean over sink, lie down, or get in shower -
hold eye(s) open, and gently flush with lukewarm water
for at least 15 minutes. (If only one eye has chemical in it,
make sure head is turned so it doesn’t pour into the other
eye.)
• Tell victim to roll eyeball(s) around while flushing to
wash entire eye.
• DO NOT press or rub the eyes!
• May want to cover eyes with clean dressing & bandages
but ask Poison Control or check label on bottle. For example,
if chemical is mustard gas (sulfur mustard) you
should not cover eyes ... but wear shades to protect them.
• Get medical attention immediately!
Things you should NOT do…
• DO NOT try to remove an object that is stuck into the eye!
• DO NOT try to remove their contacts (if any)… let the
victim do it!
• DO NOT try to move the eyeball if it comes out of the
socket!
Things you SHOULD do…
• Protect your eyes with safety glasses or goggles when
playing sports or working with tools or chemicals ... and
wear shades during the day (to help reduce UV exposure).
• When an eye injury occurs, have an ophthalmologist (an
eye physician and surgeon) examine it as soon as possible.
You may not be realize how serious an injury is at first.
Also may want to review TERRORISM (in Section 2) for information, signs
& symptoms, and treatment on several chemical and biological agents that
may cause eye injuries or discomfort.
186 www.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-4325