You only have two eyes and you need to take care of them. If an accident occurs and you get chemicals in your eyes, a few seconds can be the difference between permanent vision damage or not. Therefore, quick and clearly visible access to eye wash is crucial and should be standard at all workplaces and in work situations where there is a risk of eye accidents.

Most eye accidents are caused by dust, dirt, metal and wood splinters, or chemicals such as oil and solvents. In these cases it is usually sufficient to rinse your eyes with a green eye wash that contains 0.9% sterile sodium chloride, corresponding to the natural salt content of the fluid the eye itself produces. This solution is suitable for rinsing and cleaning the eye as immediate first aid after an accident. Immediate flushing can prevent, for example, foreign bodies from embedding so firmly that serious eye injuries occur.

There are also accidents involving acids and bases (alkalis), for example when cleaning agents or similar substances get into the eye.

How does eye wash work?

The pH of the eye is neutral, and if acids or bases enter the eye it only takes a few seconds before the pH balance is changed radically, causing corrosive damage to the eye’s tissues, which can quickly become permanent. Therefore, in eye accidents involving acids and bases it is important to neutralize the chemical as quickly as possible to a pH level around 7.4, corresponding to the normal pH of the eye’s fluids. Using plain water or 0.9% sodium chloride only achieves dilution and rinsing, which is why we recommend Plum Neutral eye wash solution (4.9% sterile phosphate buffer), which neutralizes within a few seconds.

After using a neutral eye wash we recommend continuing the flushing with the green eye wash until you see a doctor to avoid eye irritation.

Eye wash is available in 200 ml ready-to-use bottles, e.g. with a holder for a cleaning trolley or wall. There is a Duo bottle that rinses both eyes simultaneously as well as a box system that makes bottles visible and protects them optimally.