How long should you flush your eyes?

Your eyes are supposed to be moist and soft, and as a rule you shouldn't have corrosive chemicals in them. If you get debris, chemicals, or just the general yuckies in your eyes, you may have to flush them. Flushing your eyes is actually trickier than you might think it is, and it's surprisingly easy to get it wrong. For example, how long should you flush your eyes for? Is it just an instant, or will it take all day? Let's find out together.

The importance of eye flushing

Flushing the eyes is a broad term, and technically, it can mean everything from putting in some drops to a heavy rinse at an eyewash station in the hazmat lab. For our purposes, we'll lean toward the heavy end of the spectrum for a description of eye flushing, so think more of the eyeball squirting machine with the emergency signs all over it rather than a small bottle of artificial tears.

You'll flush your eyes when they need a rinse, such as when there's grit or debris in them, such as sawdust. People also flush out chemicals that can harm the delicate structures of the eyes. Acid and drain cleaner are in this category, as is pretty much every other chemical that isn't supposed to be in your eyes, which is most of them.

Biological contamination is another reason. While it's not clear how some bodily fluids have gotten into your eyes, and we're certainly not judging how you spend your weekends, even a drop of your own blood is grounds for flushing. Saliva is another five-alarm flushing reason because the human mouth is basically a germ factory. 

What goes into eye flushing solution?

The fluid you're using for this is virtually always 99% distilled water. The remaining 1% is a sterilizing agent that keeps germs from invading, such as boric acid. Do not, by the way, try to make your own eye wash. While you technically can make it safely, and there are tons of recipes all over the always-reliable internet, bacteria tend to invade the solution in the first 24 hours. That's not good, and you're probably better off just investing in a commercial eye wash that's available at decent prices from your local drug store.

Proper eye flush technique

There are a few ways to flush the eyes. Let's start with the chemist-splashed-by-acid method of using a proper eye flushing station:

1. Drop what you're doing and move directly to the station. If you need it at all, it's probably an emergency, so get to the station ASAP.
2. Position your eyes over the faucets, which should be angled upward.
3. Step on the activation pedal at the front of the station, which will trigger the spray.
4. Let the rinse flow into both eyes at once at a rate of 0.4 gallons per minute for at least 15 minutes. In extreme cases, rinsing might take up to 60 minutes.

If you're not on a job site or you don't have a problem bad enough to require the emergency approach, you can do it without the plumbing. 

Shower method

1. Run the shower until the water is tepid (not hot). Anything over 100 degrees will burn the eyes, while temperatures much below 70 may cause damage from cold.
2. Stand in the shower under a medium stream and angle your face upward until the water is running over both of your eyes. Start with eyes closed to get used to the feeling. Then, open them. 
3. Rinse for 15 minutes.

Sink method

1. Run tepid water in a large sink (like the one in your kitchen).
2. Bend over and put your head under the running water, angled so it reaches both of your eyes.
3. Slowly turn from side to side if you can only get one eye at a time but give each eye 15 minutes under the running water.

Pitcher method

1. Fill a cup or pitcher with tepid water and bend over a sink.
2. Slowly pour the water over both eyes until it's all gone.
3. Do not tilt your head back. You want the water to run out into a drain (the water might be a hazardous material, depending on what it's flushing out).

Pan method

1. Fill a pan with tepid water and stick your face in it. 
2. Blink a bunch of times.

When do you need a doctor?

Better safe than sorry. Call a doctor (or ambulance) if you have a slight doubt about your condition. Definitely call if you've gotten chemicals in your eye or the irritation won't stop after a proper flushing. Above all, take care of your eyes, and schedule regular eye care professional visits whether you're in the habit of getting contaminants in your eyes or not.

FAQs

Can I use eye drops instead of flushing for minor irritations?

That's what they're for. Just make sure the fluid drains properly.

What should I do if eye flushing doesn't relieve irritation?

Doctor time for sure.

Can I flush my eyes if I wear contact lenses? 

You sure can, but you really should take them out before you flush because you won't have them in after.