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Sprayed perfume in your eyes by mistake? Here’s how to react

It is a common mistake to spray perfume in the eyes by mistake. Some proactive tips can help you relieve irritation and pain.
Itchiness may be common if you have dry eyes. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Grace Bains Published: 25 Oct 2021, 08:00 am IST
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Sometimes we experience minor accidents that may seem trivial at first but can lead to discomfort and health complications. One such minor accident is spraying perfume in the eyes by mistake. Although it is a seemingly harmless mistake, those of us who have gone through it can vouch for how utterly uncomfortable and painful it can be.

While eye irritation could be caused due to factors such as increased time and constant rubbing, perfume being sprayed in the eyes by mistake is also an irritant.

We spoke to Dr Arvind Kumar, Consultant Ophthalmology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad to understand what to do if we end up spraying perfume in our eyes by mistake.

Take care of your eyes, especially when you’re applying perfume. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
What happens to the eyes when we spray perfume by mistake?

According to Dr Kumar, “Perfumes are alcohol-based solutions which are very toxic to the superficial layer of our cornea and conjunctiva. Once it goes inside the eye, it erodes the epithelial layer of the cornea and conjunctiva. Hence, it makes our eyes highly vulnerable to infections. Once infected, it may lead to permanent loss of vision.”

The irritation and discomfort experienced by the eyes is caused by the toxicity of the perfume. The alcohol content in the perfume can damage the cornea if not tended to immediately. As per a study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 34 percent of stock ingredients often found in fragrances tested positive for toxicity. Therefore, pro-active care is required to relieve the eyes of toxins found in perfumes.

Here’s what you can do to relieve your eyes

Spraying perfume in the eye is a common mistake, and this accident is prone to occur periodically due to an incorrectly held nozzle.

On how to deal with such a situation, Dr Kumar said. “In case of accidentally spraying our eyes with perfume, we should immediately wash the affected eyes with clean water. If the irritation persists we should avoid rubbing the eyes and immediately take an eye consultation to start with antibiotics eye drops, lubricating eye drops and in more severe cases, autologous serum therapy in eyes.”

If perfume gets into your eyes, it can cause severe irritation. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

This is what you can do to relieve your eyes from irritation and pain immediately after perfume gets into your eyes:

i) Reach for your bathroom or kitchen sink, and use cold water on your eyes. Make sure that your head is tilting towards either the right or left direction. This will ensure that the water is running across the eyes, providing its soothing and cleansing effect. Switch sides after 30 seconds. Blinking your eyes will also help to get the water inside of them, so that perfume can be washed out.

ii) Try not to strain your eyes for 30 to 45 minutes. Avoid activities that involve screen time, physical exercises, studies, or work.

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iii) Rubbing the eyes should also be avoided at all costs, as it can transfer the perfume to your fingers. This will perpetuate the cycle of the transfer of perfume from your fingers to your eyes.

So, ladies, be mindful of these measures next time you spray perfume in your eyes by mistake.

Grace Bains

Grace is someone who likes writing enough to make a living out of it. When she isn’t writing, you will find her having chai and reading a book. ...Read More

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