First Aid Eye Wash

A few months ago I tried one of those powdered makeup bronzers. For me this was a big mistake. I got the powder in my eyes and they were irritated, red, and I was in pain. My husband went to the store and picked up an eye wash kit for me to use. After using it the first time my eyes felt much better but it took using it a few times a days for several days for them to feel like I got it all out.

The eye wash kit is the generic Kroger brand. It contains a bottle of Sterile Isotonic Buffered Solution and a plastic eye cup. To use it you simply fill the cup with the solution, place it over your eye and tilt your head back. You then open your eye and move it all around in the solution so that it gets to all parts of the eye and under the lid. The solution can also be used without the cup if you just want to clean, refresh, or soothe irritated eyes.

Yesterday, I learned that this kit is also a valuable addition to your first aid kit as well. A neighbors son threw sand in the eyes of another child. The child was screaming and the mother was frantic. My son came in the house and told me what happened. I grabbed the eye wash kit and went to see if I could help. The mother was trying to get the child to open his eyes so she could see how much sand was in them. He refused and just squeezed them closed and screamed. I filled the eye cup with solution and had the mother place it over the child's eye and tilt his head back. In a few seconds the screaming stopped. Shortly after the little eye began to flutter and then popped open and began looking around.

I ended up leaving the kit with her so she could use it on him a few more times to make sure the sand was all out but I have already added it to my shopping list to pick up another kit when I go to the store. I now realize this is a very important product to always have on hand in case of an emergency.