What to Do if You Get Sunscreen in Your Eyes
Those who have unfortunately gotten sunscreen in their eyes know firsthand how much it can sting. A real good spray in the eye can sometimes cause burning that lasts for hours. It can be a while before the victim can comfortably open his eyes, especially outside in the bright sun.
There's no doubt getting sunscreen in your eyes is likely to cause a quick stop to a day of fun in the sun in an instant. Though the discomfort will probably remain for a while, you should try to tend to it as soon as possible.
The best way to treat the condition is immediately flushing the eye out with a stream of water for some time. This will flush the sunscreen out of the eye yet it probably won't relieve the stinging immediately. While it won't help to remove the sunscreen, applying cool, wet compresses to the eyes may have a soothing effect. Applying eye drops such as Visine may be useful in cleaning out the eye, but it is likely they will burn.
After flushing, it is normal for vision to be somewhat blurry. If pain persists after a few hours contact your optometrist.
Preventative Tips
- Never spray sunscreen straight on the face. Always apply to the hands and rub into the face.
- Don't allow small children to put on lotion alone.
- Keep lotion out of reach of children.
- Don't let small children rub in sunscreen. If they have sunblock on their hands they may rub it in their eyes.
- Be very careful not to apply sunblock too close to the eyes.
- Wear large sunglasses to protect the eyes and the areas around them from ultraviolet rays.