Rust dust in eye?

Question

i was sanding and wearing a respirator and eye glasses but i was curious what would happen if the rust dust got in my eye. would i ruin my vision or just get pain in my eye

Answer 1

Typically, it would hurt and your eye would water and hopefully wash the dust out. There shouldn't be any permanent damage. I've had a lot of junk in my eyes over the years and no permanent damage.

But its smart to always wear eye protection when working around dusty/dangerous environments.

Answer 2

If the dust happened to get in your eye it is really important not to blink. I know how hard that sounds, but the more you blink the more the dust gets spread across your eye. You will need to flush your eye with cool water for a good 5 minutes.

It probably wouldn't cause any permanent damage, but it can scratch your cornea causing discomfort for a few days. If this ever happens I would recommend seeing an eye doctor just to make sure that all the rust is gone from the eye. He will also be able to prescribe medicine to help sooth any scratches to your cornea and prevent infection.

Keep wearing your protective eyewear and hopefully this will never happen. But if it does, I hope you will be prepared. Remember 90% of eye injuries can be prevented if the proper precautions are taken.