Eye Burning

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

* You have persistent burning or stinging.

* If you have a chemical burn, seek medical care immediately.

What Your Symptom Is Telling You

You may encounter "the sting" anywhere, anytime. And we're not talking about the Paul Newman movie. This kind of sting involves your eyes and a run-in with an irritating substance such as smog or sunscreen trickling down from a sweaty forehead. These substances can temporarily irritate the delicate membrane over your eyeballs, making your eyes smart.

A more serious eye burn can occur after doing something as seemingly innocent as skiing or sunning yourself on a tropical beach. You can sunburn your eyes just as you can sunburn your skin, according to Hunter Little, M.D., clinical professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California. "Overexposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can burn the cells on the eye's surface," says Dr. Little. "Hours later, you'll awake with searing pain and a sand-in-your-eye feeling."

Any number of household chemicals, including insecticides, battery acid and bleach, can cause a potentially sight-damaging eye burn if they splash into your eye.

Symptom Relief

Blinking vigorously is likely to stop the smart of a mild eye burn, says Dr. Little. But if that doesn't do the trick, here's how to quell the pain.

Flush, flush, then rush to the doctor. A chemical burn is an emergency. "Speed is what counts," says Jason Slakter, M.D., attending surgeon in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. Immediately flood the eye with water, using your fingers to keep the eye open as wide as possible. Hold your head under a faucet or garden hose or pour water into the eye (any clean container is okay in this case) for at least 15 minutes, continuously and gently. Roll the eyeball as much as possible to wash out the eye. Then seek medical help immediately. If you take this swift action, the doctor may only need to apply a patch and prescribe antibiotic drops (to prevent infection), and your burned eye will heal on its own. More serious damage may require surgical repair.

Cool down sunburned orbs. Cover your eyes with a cool washcloth and take a pain reliever such as aspirin or ibuprofen, says Dr. Little. If the sting doesn't subside in a day or two, see the doctor.

Never stare directly at the sun. Not even if there's a solar eclipse, reminds Dr. Little. "Staring at the sun can burn your retina like sun directed through a magnifying glass burns paper," he says.

Try artificial tears. To control chronic burning from dry, indoor heating, for example, try a drop or two of lubricating artificial tears, says Kenneth Kauvar, M.D., assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver and author of Eyes Only. Tear products come in thick or thin viscos-ity, and the first drop may sting a bit, he says. The second drop is more soothing.

Banish Common Eye Burns

Here's how to avoid accidental eye burns.

Apply lip balm on your brows. A waxy lip balm applied on the eyebrows or upper lids provides a waterproof barrier that blocks sunscreen from trickling into your eyes when you sweat, says David Harris, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine. Avoid menthol types, he adds. The vapors can sting your eyes.

Wear cotton before you dye. A cotton headband absorbs dripping hair dye or permanent-wave solution.

Use grease shields on frying pans. This prevents accidental food splatters.

Spritz and sprint. Close your eyes before using hair spray, then leave the area quickly.

Aim nozzles that-a-way. Direct nozzles away from your face when using any household sprayers, toxic or otherwise. Always work in a well-ventilated room when using caustic household chemicals. And when you open a container filled with a caustic substance—or even one that can release volatile fumes, like ammonia—turn your head away.

Store goggles near the jumper cables. "Jump-starting a dead battery can release caustic battery acid fumes and splashes. That's why you should learn the correct way to handle a battery and put on eye goggles and gloves before you ever touch one," says Dr. Slakter.

Don watertight goggles before the plunge. They protect against chlorine-caused eye burns in swimming pools.

Prevent Sunburned Eyes

"Sunglasses that block out 99 percent or more of the UV rays should be standard outdoor wear, especially if you live, play or work near sand, snow or water," says Dr. Little. Long-term exposure to the sun's radiation may cause cataracts, retina damage or other eye problems.

Here are specific ways to protect yourself.

Wear them in the tropics and mountains. The UV rays are extra-intense and potentially more damaging at high elevations or near the equator.

Wear them when taking sun-sensitive drugs. Photosensitizing drugs such as tetracycline that make your skin more sensitive to light can also make your eyes more sensitive to UV rays.

Wear them if you've had cataract surgery. Or make sure that your intraocular lens or post-surgery contact lenses are the UV-absorbent type.

Choose close-fitting wraparounds. Studies show that harmful UV damage can occur from rays that enter under, over and around the sides of ordinary frames.

Wear "amber-tinted" or "polarized" sunglasses for boating. Amber-tinted UV-absorbent lenses block the harmful "blue rays" of the sun. And polarized lenses cut reflected glare bouncing off pavement, water or snow. Both types are ideal for fishing or skiing, says Dr. Little.

Sport a wide-brimmed hat, too. This will help protect your face, lips and eyes from the sun's damaging rays, which can predispose you to skin cancer, wrinkles and age spots, says Dr. Little.