Chemical Conjunctivitis: Causes, Symptoms & Management of Eye Irritation

What Are Common Causes of Chemical Conjunctivitis?

Getting chemicals in the eye(s) can cause eye irritation or chemical conjunctivitis. Common culprits include shampoos, smoke, cleaning chemicals, chlorine, eye drops, contact lens solution, eye drop preservatives, medicinal eye drops, eye makeup, sprays, pollutants, household cleaners, and others.

Eye Irritation

Symptoms of Chemical Conjunctivitis:

• Pain

• Burning

• Possible vision loss

• Photophobia (sensitivity to light)

• Redness

• The feeling of having a foreign body in the eye

Management of Acute Conjunctivitis

Depending on the chemical, this can be a medical emergency.

Immediately rinse your eye under lukewarm running water for 15-20 minutes.

Certain chemicals can cause intense burning and damage to the eyes; they can result in pain, redness, swelling, and can result in vision loss.  This is especially important in the case of certain strong chemicals, strong acids or bases, like battery acid, or lye, in drain cleaners.

Do not rub your eyes.

If these measures, are not sufficient or if you have immediate concerns, head to urgent care or ER consult a healthcare provider—preferably an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist). The latter usually have the tools to perform a more thorough eye examination and can order the appropriate medications for treatment. If possible, bring the chemical container with you or take a photo of it with your phone. If you have any questions about the nature of the chemical, treatment, and potential damage, call Poison Control - tell them the name of the substance that got in your eye. They will give you further instructions.

​POISON CONTROL: 1-800-222-1222

Management of Chronic Conjunctivitis

If your eye irritation has been developing over time, look around you. Do you recall when the irritation began? Did something change in your environment? If you can determine what the cause is, try to eliminate it or change that factor (like contact solution, eye drops, or makeup). Try to eliminate the offending factor. Otherwise, you can try a couple of other approaches:,

• ​Artificial tears to soothe your eyes

• Apply cool, moist compresses for 15 minutes 2-3 times daily.

• Consider possible Eye allergies (allergic conjunctivitis) and treat them accordingly

If you experience continued eye irritation, and cannot resolve the issue by following instructions in Chemical Conjunctivitis: Causes, Symptoms & Management of Eye Irritation (above), or if the condition is getting worse, if you experience changes in vision, sensitivity to light, visible injury, pain, or the sensation of something in your eye, see a healthcare provider or eye doctor.

Note: Be very careful with household cleaners, sprays, and other chemicals. Do not mix bleach or drain cleaners with any other household cleaners like vinegar and hydrogen peroxide: These mixtures can create toxic gases (bad for eyes AND lungs).

You only have two eyes. Take care of them.