Editing Conjunctivitis (section)

=== Chemical ===
Chemical eye injury may result when an [[acidic]] or [[alkali]]ne substance gets in the eye.<ref name="Bet09">{{cite journal | vauthors = Zentani A, Burslem J | title = Towards evidence based emergency medicine: best BETs from the Manchester Royal Infirmary. BET 4: use of litmus paper in chemical eye injury | journal = Emergency Medicine Journal | volume = 26 | issue = 12 | pages = 887 | date = December 2009 | pmid = 19934140 | doi = 10.1136/emj.2009.086124 | s2cid = 38124735 }}</ref> Alkali burns are typically worse than acidic burns.<ref name=AFP08/> Mild burns produce conjunctivitis, while more severe burns may cause the [[cornea]] to turn white.<ref name=AFP08/> [[Litmus|Litmus paper]] may be used to test for chemical causes.<ref name=Bet09/> When a chemical cause has been confirmed, the eye or eyes should be flushed until the [[pH]] is in the range 6–8.<ref name="AFP08">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hodge C, Lawless M | title = Ocular emergencies | journal = Australian Family Physician | volume = 37 | issue = 7 | pages = 506–509 | date = July 2008 | pmid = 18592066 }}</ref> Anaesthetic eye drops can be used to decrease the pain.<ref name=AFP08/>

Irritant or toxic conjunctivitis is primarily marked by redness. If due to a chemical splash, it is often present in only the lower conjunctival sac.  With some chemicals, above all with caustic alkalis such as [[sodium hydroxide]], [[necrosis]] of the conjunctiva marked by a deceptively white eye due to vascular closure may occur, followed by sloughing off of the dead [[epithelium]]. A slit lamp examination is likely to show evidence of [[iritis|anterior uveitis]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Diagnosing Conjunctivitis |url=https://nyulangone.org/conditions/conjunctivitis/diagnosis |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=nyulangone.org |language=en}}</ref>