Essential Oils are loved by many. It is used for different things like massage, cleaning, diffusion, and air purification. They are often mixed with carrier oils like coconut oil and almond oil before use.
But getting essential oil in your eye can be a very uncomfortable experience.
If you just got essential oil in your eyes, immediately flush your eyes with cool water. Run your eyes under the tap for as long as possible. If necessary, call for medical help.
Yet, for all the benefits they provide, the wrong use of essential oils can cause discomfort and even an intense burning sensation.
This is why aromatherapists warn against using them alone without first mixing them with a carrier oil. They also advise against swallowing these oils, and practicing care with their use.
Wrongful use can lead to pains, burns, and intense irritation. But what do you do when essential oil accidentally enters your eyes? What steps do you take to prevent the essential oil from spreading and causing you pain?
We’ll discuss all that below!
Essential Oil In Your Eye: What To Do
Despite the awareness about the negative reaction of therapeutic grade essential oils, accidents do occur. A drop or more may enter your eyes by accident.
In such a scenario, what do you do?
Despite the awareness about the negative reaction of essential oils, accidents do occur. A drop or more may enter your eyes by accident.
So if essential oils ever enter your eyes, try to stay calm. But take swift action by following these tips.
1. Don’t Rub Your Eyes!
Do not panic and don’t rub your eyes. It’s super tempting to rub your eyes, but don’t do it!
Scrubbing your eyes with your hands or a piece of cloth will cause essential oil deposits to spread deeper into the eyes. This can exacerbate the problem and can cause you even more pain.
2. Place Eye Under Running Water
The first thing you should do immediately after it happens is to place the affected eye under running water. Keep it under the tap for about 10 minutes with the eye open, not closed.
Try to get water under your eyelids and flush out anything that might be caught under the lids. Note: make sure your hands are clean before you start poking at your eyelids.
This will not resolve the issue. But it will wash off some of the therapeutic-grade essential oils deposits. Once again, do not rub with your hands.
Once again, do not rub with your hands.
3. Flush With A Carrier Oil
You may choose to flush it out with carrier oil like olive oil or fractionated coconut oil before running the affected eye under the tap. But it is recommended using a tap first.
After using water, place your eye sideways on your sink. Then apply several drops of olive oil while keeping the eye open. Some of the olive oil will remain inside the eye and dilute the leftover essential oil.
Doing this will reduce the impact. Almond oil is highly recommended for this also because of its soothing effect.
4. Rinse Again With Water
If that has helped, once again rinse your eyes with water. Run cool water over your eyes for as long as possible, and try to get the water everywhere around your eyes.
The longer you rise, the more will come out. Don’t just do 30 seconds, give it a good 5-10 more minutes.
5. Seek Medical Attention
If none of the above steps have solved the problem, it may be time to reach for medical attention. Call your doctor or have a friend take you to a clinic for medical help.
Conclusion
If you ever get essential oil in your eye, rinse your eyes with water for about ten minutes or more. Then add a carrier oil to dilute its impact. Rinse again with water. If the problem has not resolved, it’s time to reach out for medical attention as soon as possible.
