How to Cleanse Your Eye of Concrete Dust

Natural tears regularly flush out the eyes, removing dust, dirt and debris without you barely knowing it was there in the first place. When concrete dust from a nearby construction zone ends up in your eyes and natural tearing of the eyes isn't enough to remove it, the dust can cause redness and irritation in your eyes. The natural inclination to rub your eyes can further aggravate the situation. Carefully remove the concrete dust to soothe your eyes and remove the source of irritation 1.

Is This an Emergency?

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

Wash your hands with antibacterial soap to remove dirt, debris and germs. It's important to have clean hands when putting them near your eyes to avoid transferring more dust or dirt to your eyes, as well as germs. Dry your hands on a clean towel.

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Dampen a clean cotton swab with water. Blot the cotton swab on the towel to remove excess moisture. Gently swipe the cotton swab across the dust to collect and remove it. Do not press the cotton swab against your eye, use it only to come in contact with the dust. Use a clean cotton swab to do the same inside your lower eyelid. Repeat this step to remove as much of the concrete dust as possible without using too much moisture.

Fill an eye dropper with cool water. Gently pull your lower eyelid down and flush your eye with the cool water to remove any last traces of dust. Pull the upper lid away from your eye and rinse this areas with water as well. Dry your face with the towel and pat around your eye. Repeat this step a few times to wash out the remaining concrete dust from your eyes.

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Make a cool compress by running cold tap water over a clean washcloth. Squeeze the excess water out of the washcloth. Hold the cold cloth over your eye to soothe irritation and puffiness from having the concrete dust in your eye.

Tips

When working with or around concrete, always wear safety goggles and a face mask to prevent the dust from entering your eyes or lungs.

Warnings

Avoid the natural inclination to rub your eyes when dust is in them. This can cause the dust to become embedded in your eye.

See an eye doctor immediately if the dust cannot be removed from your eye. Loosely cover your eye with a bandage or wear sunglasses and have someone bring you to the eye doctor.

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