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What to do if…
your eye was exposed to a chemical and it still burns after thorough rinsing

Short answer

Keep rinsing and get urgent help now — go to A&E, and call 999 if it’s a strong chemical or your vision is affected. Ongoing burning after rinsing can mean a chemical eye injury that needs same-day assessment.

Do not do these things

  • Do not stop rinsing unless you have to — keep flushing whenever safely possible.
  • Do not rub your eye or keep squeezing it shut (it can trap residue against the surface).
  • Do not try to “neutralise” the chemical with another chemical (including vinegar/baking soda).
  • Do not put in eye drops or ointments (including “redness relief”), especially if burning persists, until you’ve been assessed.
  • Do not re-insert contact lenses.
  • Do not drive yourself if your vision is affected, you feel faint/unwell, or you can’t keep the eye open.

What to do now

  1. Restart continuous rinsing for at least 20 minutes (longer if it still burns).
    Use cool/lukewarm running tap water or sterile saline if you have it. Hold the eyelids open with clean fingers and look up/down/left/right while rinsing so water reaches under the lids.
  2. Remove contact lenses if they are still in and come out easily.
    If they won’t come out quickly, keep rinsing anyway and do not delay getting help.
  3. Get urgent care now. Choose the fastest safe option:
    • Call 999 if the chemical is strong (for example bleach, oven/drain cleaner), the pain is significant, your vision is changing, the eye is very red/swollen, or you can’t keep it open.
    • Otherwise, go to A&E now, especially if it still burns after thorough rinsing.
    • If you’re unsure where to go (or it’s out of hours in your area), call NHS 111 and say: “chemical in the eye, still burning after rinsing” — follow the pathway they give you.
  4. Bring chemical details to care.
    Take the container, a photo of the label, or the Safety Data Sheet (if it was at work). Tell staff whether it was a liquid/powder and roughly when it happened.
  5. On the way, keep the eye as protected as possible.
    If you can, keep rinsing until you’re seen (for example, before you leave and immediately on arrival). Avoid touching the eye. If light is painful, wear sunglasses.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether it was an “acid” or “alkali” — bring the label/container and let clinicians assess risk.
  • You do not need to wait to see if it “settles overnight” when burning persists after thorough rinsing.
  • You do not need to complete workplace/incident paperwork right now (but keep the product info).

Important reassurance

It’s normal to feel panicky when your eye won’t stop burning. Restarting rinsing and getting urgent assessment is the right move — what protects your eye most is prompt, sustained flushing and being seen quickly.

Scope note

These are first steps only to reduce harm and get you into the right urgent care. Clinicians may continue irrigation, examine the eye surface, and decide on treatment and follow-up.

Important note

This is general first-step information, not medical diagnosis. If symptoms are severe, worsening, or you notice any vision change, treat it as urgent and seek emergency care now.

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