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How bad is it to get polyurethane in/on your eye?

ibis the being

21:03 / 22.07.05

So, I just accidentally splashed a little polyurethane in the vicinity of my eye. I don't think any landed IN my eye, but it did go on my eyelid and seemingly eyelash area. The only thing I have on hand for cleaning up poly is mineral spirits, and obviously that shouldn't go near my eyeball. It didn't burn at first, though it's slowly beginning to dully ache, though whether that's hypochondria/paranoia/rubbing is hard to say.

I'm loathe to take the step of calling Poison Control, but should I? I mean, they say never to take more than two ibuprofen at the time but I know plenty of people who'll take 4 for a really bad headache/cramps. And they say never to let a lot of products/chemicals I work with to ever ever touch your skin, but I get them all over me all the time and I'm not dead nor broken out in a cancerous rash yet. Don't they exaggerate the dangers of these things to err on the side of safety?

Well, don't they?

Shrug

21:15 / 22.07.05

I have no idea about the exact dangers of this and I'm guessing neither do you as such calling Poison control or at least your doctor seems like a good idea. Don't freak out and try not to rub it too much in the meanwhile.

Shrug

21:21 / 22.07.05

Unless you think not rubbing it may result in blindness in which case rub all you want.

CALL YOUR DOCTOR

(or at least someone with more specific knowledge)

NOW

Ariadne

21:42 / 22.07.05

I've no idea - so why not just call, get some idea of whether you need to worry? You need your eyes!

Ariadne

21:49 / 22.07.05

I've just done a google search, which I'm sure you've done already - did you 'flush it with water'? And then they all seem to say seek medical attention, and some say 'immediate' medical attention. I'm sure, as you say, that it's not that bad but it's really not worth playing about with. If something burns the skin on your arm, well, you have a burn arm but it'll still work - eyes are much more vulnerable.

Shrug

21:54 / 22.07.05

As Ariadne said them's for looking and seeing so don't mess about.

ibis the being

22:35 / 22.07.05

I think I'm all right, folks. In any case I don't think I'll be calling a doc. Can you even call "a doctor" anymore? The most I know how to do is call some vast health center to talk to a bunch of receptionists who don't care and only want to schedule an appointment I won't be able to pay for. I guess I'm a bit cavalier about painting/finishing chemicals having seen my dad come home from work covered in paint for 18 or so years. At any rate it's been more than two hours and I don't feel like I'm going to lose an eye....

■

23:07 / 22.07.05

and only want to schedule an appointment I won't be able to pay for
Shit, we do forget about that, here. The paying thing, that is. I'm no expert, but I would treat it like I would a burn. Flush. Then flush some more, then keep fucking flushing it with as much clean water as you can until well after it stops hurting. 30 minutes continuous should do as long as you don't wash your eyeball down the drain.

01:23 / 23.07.05

You know, it's polyurethane. If you typed your post yourself as opposed to dictating it through agonized yelps with your eyes shut and tearing, and didn't feel anything more than a dull ache after trying for about half an hour to stare at your own eyeball to see what damage you'd done, you probably didn't actually get polyurethane in your eye. I don't know about you but I blunder into walls for an hour if I've got soap in my eyes.

So flush with water, but don't worry so much that you actually do yourself damage, because you're probably fine.

Warning. Poster is not a doctor.

Tryphena Absent

02:01 / 23.07.05

Darn America. Perhaps you could ring NHS Direct... probably cheaper to make an overseas call!

lekvar

02:43 / 23.07.05

Don't be afraid to call Poison Control. I've called them after doing some pretty stupid things and they are very non-judgemental. They will only give you expert advice (as much expert advice as can be given over the phone) and make recommendations. Given that we don't have the NHS, it's foolish not to take advantage of free services like this.

ibis the being

12:39 / 23.07.05

Hmm, I always assumed Poison Control was for emergencies like 'my child ate bleach' only.

Well, it's the next day and I can still see out of both eyes. So I guess it's NOT that bad to get polyurethane in your eye! Thanks everyone, now I'm off to take four Advil and wash them down with gasoline....

gridley

14:05 / 24.07.05

Please make sure it's unleaded gasoline.

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