How to wash eyes with water

If you get a small object in your eye, the eye will naturally produce tears to flush the object out. Sometimes, however, these tears are not enough, and the eye will need some help getting the object out. If you do not have any eyewash available, plain water is the next best option. Read on to learn how to wash your eyes with water:

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Wide-mouth bowl or an eye-size cup
• <br>Lukewarm water
• <br>A towel

Use a Wide-Mouth Bowl

1. Wash your hands, cleaning them thoroughly before you touch or rinse your eye.
2. Find a wide-mouth bowl that is large enough to allow you to immerse your whole face. Fill the bowl with water up to 1 or 2 inches below the rim.
3. Lay out a towel on a counter-top and place the bowl on top of it. This will help catch any spill and save some time on cleaning up.
4. Close your eyes, hold your breath and immerse your face into the water. Blink your eye several times and roll your eyeball in a circular motion.

Use an Eye-Size Cup

5. Wash your hands, cleaning them thoroughly before you touch or rinse your eye.
6. Find an eye-size cup that is large enough to cover your entire eye-socket. Fill the cup with water up to its brim. Wrap a towel around your neck to help catch any dripping water.
7. Tilt your head downward over the cup and place the cup snugly over your eye. Close the eye and tilt your head upwards so that the cup is upside down over your eye.
8. Blink your eye several times and roll your eyeball in a circular motion.

Tips & Warnings

• You will get wet using either one of these methods, so it may be best to do it in the bathroom or kitchen.
• <br>It may be uncomfortable to rinse your eye in regular water because the natural eye environment is salty. If this is so, make a lightly salty solution by dissolving half a teaspoon of salt into a quart of water. Don't use too much salt, as this may harm your eye.
• Don't use hot water, which may scald your eye. And don't use cold water, which may shock the eye. Lukewarm water is the best temperature.
• <br>Do not attempt to remove the object if it is lodged into the eyeball. Cover your eye with a loose dressing and/or wear a pair of dark eyeglasses and get to an eye doctor, urgent care center or emergency room as soon as possible. Do not put any pressure on the eyeball.