A&E nurses need to make prompt, clinical decisions when treating patients who present with chemical eye injury. Janet Marsden offers pertinent information in minimising the risk of ocular tissue damage

Burns to the eye and surrounding structures present to the A&E department from domestic and industrial sources. Ocular burns may be divided most commonly into chemical, thermal and radiation; chemical burns in particular can be devastating to the eye and to the patient’s potential for vision. The degree of injury is dependant on the type of substance involved, but most importantly, on the length of contact time.