Author: Murphy JC, Osterberg RE, Seabaugh VM, Bierbower GW
Journal: Toxicology 1982;23(4):281-91
Abstract: Acids and alkalis were instilled into the eyes of 2 groups of rabbits; the eyes of one group were washed with tap water 30 s after exposure. Damage seen in washed and unwashed eyes was not always related to pH. Some strong acids with greater acidity than pH 2.5 produced opacities while 0.3% hydrochloric acid with a pH of 1.28 produced no ocular damage. Phenol (5%) and acetic acid (5%) with pHs greater than 2.5 produced damage equivalent to or greater than that produced by equal concentrations (w/v) of the mineral acids. All alkalis with pHs ranging from 11.5 to 13.5 produced opacities and other ocular damage of different degrees depending upon the alkali and its concentration. For example, low concentrations of some alkalis in the pH range from 11.3 to 12.8 produced no ocular changes. The duration of the corneal opacities produced by phenol, 1% sodium hydroxide, acetic acid and anhydrous sodium carbonate and the onset of corneal opacity produced by 5% sulfuric acid, the weak acids and 1% sodium hydroxide were reduced as a result of washing the test eyes 30 s after instillation of the test material. These data suggest that acidity and alkalinity of the test material are not the only factors to be considered in relation to a substances’ capacity to produce severe ocular injury. The concentration of the test chemical and its period of contact with the eye prior to washing are also important.
-Once I had an exposure while give a patient a medication through a saline lock. The syringe backed out slightly and when I gave the med a little push it sprayed into my eyes. It burned, so I immediately flushed my eyes. A co-worker instilled a Morgan lens to each eye and ran sterile N.S. and I felt immediate relief.
-A local trauma surgeon and avid woodworker complained of irritation to his eye for several days. The eye was obviously irritated. After being examined by an emergency department doctor for a foreign body, and finding none, we irrigated the eye using the Morgan Lens. The surgeon found the lens to be comfortable, and after irrigation the eye felt better. Two days later his eye was better without redness or irritation.
-An employee of the hospital where I work had a car battery explode in his face. An eye irrigation was set up and initiated with the Morgan Lens. He felt much better and commented on the soothing feeling of the sterile saline irrigation.
Registered Nurse (California)
MorTan Inc.
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The Morgan Lens is used in 90% of hospital emergency departments in the USA and can be inserted in less than 20 seconds. There simply is no other "hands-free" method of eye irrigation. Nothing else frees medical personnel to treat other injuries or to transport the patient while irrigation is underway. Nothing is more effective at treating ocular chemical, thermal, and actinic burns or removing non-embedded foreign bodies, even when the patient's eyes are closed tightly. Its design makes it simple and straightforward to use so minimal training is required.