Article: In some cases, like if you've introduced a serious irritant or contaminant to your eye, you shouldn't bother with sterile eye washes. Instead, your focus should be on immediately and thoroughly washing your eyes, then getting medical help.  For example, if you accidentally splash your eyes with a chemical that is an acid, an alkaline (base), a corrosive, or some other kind of irritant, then stop what you're doing and flush your eyes with water right away. Keep in mind that some chemicals react adversely with water. For example, most of the alkali metals (the furthest-left column in the periodic table) react violently with water. Don't flush these chemicals with water. Most places where you can may splash dangerous chemicals in your eye will come equipped with special eye wash stations. If you get a foreign object or chemical in your eye(s), go to the eye wash station right away and then:  Depress the lever. The lever should be brightly marked and easy to find. Place your face in front of the water spouts. These spouts will spray water in your eyes at a low pressure. Keep your eyes as wide-open as possible. Use your fingers to keep your eyes open as you rinse them. If you can't immediately find an eye wash station or you're somewhere where there are no eye wash stations (like at home), you can use the running water from your sink instead. Tap water isn't ideal for eye washing, as it's not as sterile as the purified water used in many laboratories. But it is far more important to rinse the chemicals from your eyes than it is to worry about possible infections. To wash out your eyes using the sink:  Go to the nearest sink and turn the cold water on. If it is very cold, then you may want to adjust it until the temperature is lukewarm. Then, lean over the sink and splash water into your open eyes. If your sink has an adjustable faucet, point it directly into your eye at a low pressure and hold your eyes open with your fingers. Rinse your eyes for at least 15 to 20 minutes. After you have washed out your eyes, you should call the Poison Control Center at (800) 222-1222 for advice. If possible, have someone call for you while you are rinsing out your eyes. Then, seek medical attention immediately. If you've introduced a dangerous chemical into your eyes, you need to get medical attention as soon as possible, even if you've already rinsed your eyes.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Know which injuries warrant immediate eye flushing. Use an eyewash station if one is available. Rinse your eyes with running water from a sink. Call Poison Control for advice about chemical irritants.