From the Guidelines
If you get air freshener in your eye, immediately flush your eye with a copious amount of tap water for 15 minutes, as recommended by the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1. This is crucial in reducing the risk of chemical eye injury and preserving vision.
- The irrigation should be done immediately after the exposure to minimize the damage caused by the chemicals in the air freshener.
- It is essential to use a gentle stream of water, and the eye should be held open to allow the water to flow from the inner corner to the outer corner.
- If contact lenses are being worn, they should be removed before flushing the eye.
- After thorough irrigation, if persistent pain, redness, vision changes, or discomfort occur, medical attention should be sought promptly. The American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines also recommend avoiding contamination of other individuals, areas, or the other eye with the caustic substance 1. Additionally, the guidelines suggest that eye irrigation with normal saline, Ringer’s lactate solution, or a commercial eye wash solution is reasonable if immediately available 1. However, the most recent and highest quality study, which is the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1, should be prioritized when making a definitive recommendation.
From the Research
Eye Irritation from Air Fresheners
- There is no direct evidence in the provided studies to suggest that air fresheners can cause eye irritation or any other adverse effects when they come into contact with the eyes 2, 3, 4.
- The studies provided focus on the effectiveness of antihistamine-decongestant-analgesic combinations for the common cold 2, the use of bacitracin as an antibiotic 3, and the combination therapy of diphenhydramine and levofloxacin against antimicrobial resistance in respiratory tract infections 4.
- None of the studies mention air fresheners or their potential effects on the eyes.
- Therefore, there is no research-based evidence to provide an answer to the question of whether air fresheners can cause eye irritation when they come into contact with the eyes.