Ophthalmologists classify chemical eye burns into four grades based on the appearance of the cornea and the limbus (the border between the cornea and the white of the eye).
: Flush the eyes continuously for at least 20 to 30 minutes . Caustic soda is a strong alkali that penetrates eye tissue quickly; brief rinsing is not enough. caustic soda in eyes treatment
| Grade | Corneal findings | Conjunctival/limbal ischemia | Prognosis | |-------|----------------|------------------------------|------------| | I | Epithelial damage only | None | Good | | II | Hazy cornea, iris visible | <1/3 limbal ischemia | Fair | | III | Opaque cornea, iris details lost | 1/3–1/2 limbal ischemia | Poor | | IV | Opaque cornea | >1/2 limbal ischemia | Very poor | | Grade | Corneal findings | Conjunctival/limbal ischemia
Continue flushing the eye for at least 20 to 30 minutes without interruption. Alkaline substances like caustic soda can continue to cause damage deep within the eye tissue even if the initial irritation seems to subside. iris visible | <
If contact lenses are being worn, they should be removed as quickly as possible to ensure the chemical is not trapped against the eye.