Our eyes are among our body's most essential and sensitive organs. They can be exposed to different irritants such as dust, smoke, and allergens. Many people reach for tap water to rinse their eyes, but how safe is it?

Is It Okay to Rinse Your Eyes with Tap Water?

The safety of rinsing your eyes with tap water depends largely on whether or not you wear contact lenses. Water from your sink may be acceptable for those who do not wear contacts. If you get a foreign object or irritating chemical in your eye, washing your eyes with fresh water can help remove the substance and reduce discomfort. Tilt your head so that the affected eye is down to avoid accidentally flushing debris into the other eye.

On the other hand, rinsing the eyes with tap water is not recommended for contact lens wearers. Tap water often contains microorganisms that are usually harmless but can cause severe eye infections under certain circumstances. Contact lenses can trap these microorganisms against the eye's surface, increasing the risk of disease. If you need to rinse your eyes for any reason while wearing contacts, use a sterile saline solution or contact lens solution specifically formulated for use on the eyes.

If your eyes are feeling dry, a lubricant like natural tears can help soothe dry eyes more effectively than water.

How to Properly Rinse Your Eyes

In case of an emergency such as a foreign object, chemical, irritant or burn in the eye:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water first.
2. Use sterile saline or contact lens solution to flush your eyes.
3. If you don't have saline or contact lens solution, you can use clean, lukewarm water. Avoid very cold or hot water.
4. Tilt your head back, open your eyes, and pour the solution into the inner corner of your eye, letting it flow across your eye and out of the outer corner.
5. If the irritant is only in one eye, tilt your head with the affected eye down to avoid flushing debris into the other eye.
6. Repeat until your eye feels better, but avoid rubbing your eyes.

When to See an Eye Doctor

See an eye doctor as soon as possible if you experience severe pain or discomfort in your eyes, blurred or decreased vision, redness, swelling, or discharge, sensitivity to light, or a foreign object stuck in your eye that you can't remove.

Call us at Dayton Optometric Center in Kettering, Ohio at (937) 228-2020 to schedule an appointment today.