Eyewash
Always ensure the eyewash solution makes contact with the eye in a slow and steady motion. In case of concurrent injury on both eyes, use a DUO eyewash for rinsing both eyes simultaneously.
Watch our videos below and learn how to rinse with Plum Wound and Eyewash 0.9% Sodium Chloride and Plum Wound and Eyewash pH Neutral 4.9% Phosphate and witness the effect of neutralisation of acids and alkalis.
We recommend you see a doctor for any type of eye damage. Nonetheless, immediately after the injury you should apply Plum Wound and Eyewash 0.9% Sodium Chloride or Plum Wound and Eyewash pH Neutrall 4.9% Phosphate (buffer) depending on the nature of the injury. Keep spare bottles of portable eyewash readily available to enable continued eyewash during transport to the doctor or emergency.
What is eyewash?
Protect your eyes with the best suited eyewash at the right time
Protect your eyes – sight is one of our most important senses. The damage to your eyes and eyesight can be a question of a few seconds. Therefore, in case of an accident, it is important that both the workplace is equipped with the necessary eyewash products and that you are trained and thus have knowledge on how to use the products correctly.
The damaging substance may enter the eyes as solids, liquid or gas substance. The degree of the damage will depend on the properties of the substance, its temperature, pH value and for how long the impact lasts.
Many eye accidents are caused by dust, dirt, metal and wood splinters and chemicals. In these circumstances, rinsing the eye with an eyewash solution of 0.9 % sterile sodium chloride will be sufficient (identical to the natural percentage of salt content in the liquid produced by the eye).
The isotonic solution is suitable for rinsing and cleansing the eyes as a means of first aid in case of injury. An immediate rinsing may prevent foreign substances to come into contact with and seriously damage the eyes.
Why pH neutralisation matters in eye injuries
Since the eye’s pH value is neutral, it is a matter of seconds after eye contact with acid or alkali before the pH value is significantly deteriorated and the corrosive damage may lead to permanent eye damage.
Thus in case of eye injuries involving acid and base substances you need quickly to neutralise the chemical component to a pH value of around 7, which equals the normal level of pH in the eye.
The use of ordinary water or 0.9 % sodium chloride will only provide a certain degree of dilution and rinsing (see Figure 1 below), and thus we recommend the use of Plum Eyewash pH Neutral 4.9% Phosphate (phosphate buffer). Subsequently, we recommend continued rinsing until medical examination (washing with Plum Wound and Eyewash 0.9 % Sodium Chloride).
