2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
6 Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
Part II: Pediatric Ophthalmology
Chapter 27: Ocular Trauma in Childhood
Accidental Trauma
Chemical Injury
Chemical burns in childhood are generally caused by organic solvents or soaps in household cleaning agents. Even burns involving almost total loss of corneal epithelium are likely to heal in a week or less with or without patching. Acid and alkali burns in children, as in adults, can be much more serious. The initial and most important step in management of all chemical injuries is immediate copious irrigation and meticulous removal of any particulate matter from the conjunctival fornices. See BCSC Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, for additional discussion.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 10 - Glaucoma. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.