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Eye wash: how to use it, eye cup tips, and when to get help

By the Life in Good Form editors. Updated 2026-10-15.

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What eye wash is

Details are from each product's Drug Facts label on DailyMed. The rest of each formula is inactive ingredients; Medi-First lists boric acid, sodium borate and sodium chloride. Both are sold as sterile solutions.

How to use an eye wash bottle

• Wash your hands first, as MedlinePlus advises before touching the eye or eyelid.
• Remove contact lenses before using, as the Walgreens label says.
• Flush the affected eye as needed, controlling the flow by pressing the bottle.
• Do not touch the tip to your eye or any surface, to avoid contamination, and replace the cap after use.
• Check the seal and date. Medi-First says not to use the bottle if its tamper-evident seal is missing or broken, and to use it before the expiration date. Its single-use bottle should be discarded once opened.

Using an eye cup

Some eye wash comes with an eye cup. The Walgreens label says to rinse the cup with eye wash right before each use, avoid touching the rim and inside, fill it half full, and press it tightly to the eye to prevent spills. Tilt your head back, open your eyelids wide and roll your eye to wash it thoroughly. Rinse the cup with clean water after each use. The enclosed cup is sterile only if its packaging is intact.

Store eye wash at room temperature with the cap tightly closed, as the labels direct, and note that the Walgreens formula does not contain thimerosal.

Something in your eye

MedlinePlus says the eye often clears tiny objects like eyelashes and sand by blinking and tearing. If not, do not rub the eye or squeeze the eyelids. If the object is on the surface of the eye, try gently rinsing with clean water or eye drops held above the outer corner of the eye, without touching the eye with the tip.

If discomfort or blurred vision continues after removing a tiny object, get medical help. If something is stuck in the eye, leave it in place and get medical help right away.

Chemical in the eye

MedlinePlus says to flush with a gentle stream of cool tap water right away. Turn the head so the injured eye is down and to the side, hold the eyelid open, and let running water flush the eye for 15 minutes. If both eyes are affected or chemicals are on the body too, shower. Remove contact lenses after flushing if they did not wash out. Keep flushing with clean water or saline for at least 15 minutes, then get medical help without delay.

For a 15-minute flush, a faucet or shower is usually the most practical water source; keep a bottle of eye wash for smaller irritants.

Warnings and when to see a doctor

• Open wounds: do not use eye wash if you have open wounds in or near the eyes.
• Cloudy solution: get medical help right away if the solution changes color or becomes cloudy, the labels say.
• Stop and ask a doctor for eye pain, changes in vision, continued redness or irritation, or if the condition worsens or persists.
• Injuries: for a cut, scratch or blow to the eye, MedlinePlus says apply a clean cool compress without pressure and seek medical help right away.

Keep eye wash in your first aid kit, and see our travel first aid kit guide for trips.

What to look for when you buy

Questions people ask

What is eye wash used for?

Labels say to flush loose foreign material, pollen, smog or chlorinated water and relieve irritation or burning.

Should I take out contact lenses before using eye wash?

Yes. The Walgreens label says remove contact lenses before using.

How long should I flush a chemical out of my eye?

MedlinePlus says at least 15 minutes, then get medical help right away.

Can I reuse an eye cup?

Rinse it with eye wash before each use and with clean water after, per the label.

When should I see a doctor?

For eye pain, vision changes, continued redness, or anything stuck in the eye.

Sources

• Walgreens Sterile Soothing Eye Wash (purified water) label (dailymed.nlm.nih.gov), DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Medi-First First Aid Eye Wash (purified water) label (dailymed.nlm.nih.gov), DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Eye emergencies (medlineplus.gov), MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Sources checked 2026-10-15.