HEALTH CONDITION
Eye injuries
Minor eye injuries, such as shampoo or dust in your eye, often get better on their own within a day. Get medical help if you have a chemical in your eye or something pierces it.
How to treat an eye injury at home
Do wash your eye with clean water if there's something in it follow the advice on the packaging if any cosmetics or household products get in your eyes take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen to help ease any pain or discomfort Don't do not try to remove any object that's pierced your eye do not touch or rub your eye until it's better do not wear make-up around your eye until it's better do not wear contact lenses until your eye is better How to wash your eye You should: use clean water (not hot) – this can be from a tap or shower, or bottled water if you're not at home hold your eye open run lots of water over your eyeball for at least 20 minutes Make sure the flow of water is not too strong.
Other eye injuries
There is separate information about: What to do if you have a black eye What to do if you have a red eye
Source: NHS, last reviewed 12 March 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
This page is general information and is not medical advice. It does not replace a registered doctor, and it is not a prescription or a recommendation to use any medicine or test. Prices are listed prices and may change. Always follow the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.