Caution: Kids & Laundry Detergent Pods

Kids are curious! Laundry packets or laundry pods are often brightly colored, and kids may mistake them for toys or candy. If a laundry packet is popped, the detergent can severely burn the cornea, eyelids and skin around the eyes. Chemical burns to the eyes can result in lifelong decreased vision or total blindness. If children swallow laundry packets, the poisoning can be fatal. Unfortunately laundry pod detergent eye injury has increased over the past several years according to researchers reporting in JAMA Ophthalmology. Recent data suggest there has been greater than a 30 fold increase in these injuries among kids. The message is clear-if you use laundry pods, make sure you know the risks. Store them safely and keep them out of the hands of children.

If you or a child experiences an alkali chemical eye burn, please immediately rinse with cold water and attempt to get as much of the detergent out of the eyes as possible. Then, take them to the emergency room immediately and have them call our office at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.